Surveillance video released Thursday shows former deputy Scot Peterson standing outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School while Nikolas Cruz fatally shot 17 students and staff.
Broward County Sheriff’s Office, which released the video, identified Peterson in the footage, adding that it “speaks for itself.”
On afternoon of Feb. 14, Peterson, the school’s armed resource officer, responded to the building where the shooting was unfolding within a minute and a half of when the gunfire started, Sheriff Scott Israel said. He positioned himself outside the building but never went in throughout the six-minute shooting, Israel said.
In the released video, a man can be seen running toward a school building at 2:23 p.m., when the initial 911 calls came in, and appears to stand outside for several minutes.
President Trump and Israel criticized Peterson’s actions. He later resigned.
After multiple media organizations, including the USA TODAY Network, petitioned for the release of the video, a Florida judge earlier this week ordered that it be made public.
Peterson’s lawyer, Joseph A. DiRuzzo III, said his client has been unfairly described as a “coward” for following protocol. DiRuzzo said Peterson believed the shooting was taking place outside the school and followed protocol for such an incident. That included taking up a “tactical position” outside the building and initiating a Code Red lockdown.
Peterson, DiRuzzo said, had the “presence of mind” to have school administrators go to the school’s video room and review the closed-circuit cameras to locate the shooter and then obtain a description for law enforcement.
Other Broward County deputies are under investigation for staying outside the school during the response to the mass shooting.
USA Today lost me in the opening sentence when it read, “…while Nicholas Cruz fatally shot 17 students and staff.” Blaming the lone wolf crazy again…. Such bull….
“Peterson’s lawyer, Joseph A. DiRuzzo III, said his client has been unfairly described as a “coward” for following protocol.”
A commie coward… for his acting role in this pitiful PRODUCTION.
“… Nikolas Cruz fatally shot 17 students and staff.”
Sans ANY credible proof that ANYONE was shot or killed… YOU’RE FULL OF SH#T!!!
Aaaaand were still waiting on the Vegas footage too you fking lying fuks