13 Reasons Why premiere canceled in wake of Santa Fe school shooting

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Out of respect for those affected by Friday's Santa Fe High School shooting in Texas, Netflix has canceled a premiere event for Season 2 of their teen drama 13 REASONS WHY. Along with their motion to cancel the event, Netflix has issued a statement to fans and those whose lives have been forever changed by the tragedy.

“Our hearts are with the victims of the Santa Fe High School shooting, and with all victims of gun violence. In light of today’s tragedy, we are cancelling the 13 Reasons Why S2 premiere event tonight,” Netflix said in a statement.

This morning, nine students and a teacher were killed when Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old student, allegedly opened fire with a shotgun and a revolver. Since the incident, Pagourtzis has been apprehended by police and is now in jail while facing capital murder charges.

Based on showrunner Brian Yorkey’s adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name, 13 REASONS WHY circles around the unexplained suicide of Hannah Baker — which was shown up close — and the 13 audiotapes she left behind for her classmates.

In the past, the show has been criticized by mental health officials for being a program that poses a risk to a select group of young people, particularly those with suicidal tendencies. In an effort to inform viewers about the dangers of suicide and degrading mental health, Netflix has added sources to 13ReasonsWhy.info, which includes an updated Discussion Guide and a new Discussion Series — a set of videos where cast members address issues in the series including bullying, sexual assault and drug abuse.

We here at JoBlo are saddened by the news of today's shooting, and wish for all of those affected by the incident to be granted safe passage home. Stay safe, dear readers.

Source: Deadline Hollywood

About the Author

Born and raised in New York, then immigrated to Canada, Steve Seigh has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. He started with Ink & Pixel, a column celebrating the magic and evolution of animation, before launching the companion YouTube series Animation Movies Revisited. He's also the host of the Talking Comics Podcast, a personality-driven audio show focusing on comic books, film, music, and more. You'll rarely catch him without headphones on his head and pancakes on his breath.