Joshua Charo (pictured) 17, of Parkland, Florida, said he knew Cruz for two years in high school and described him as ‘odd’
Valentine’s Day killer Nikolas Cruz was trained to shoot and had completed a marksmanship course at school, DailyMail.com can disclose.
Former friend Joshua Charo, 17, of Parkland, Florida, said the 19-year-old killer had taken shooting instruction as part of his JROTC program – and often pestered classmates for advice on gun purchases.
Charo said Cruz would send him photos of guns and other weaponry via Instagram and Snapchat but stopped after he was expelled from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last winter.
He also told DailyMail.com that the killer, who was charged this morning with 17 counts of first degree murder, was kicked out of school due to ‘behavior issues’ and because he was found to be carrying bullet casings in his bag.
‘I knew him from freshman year to sophomore year,’ Charo said. ‘When we were inside of class, we would talk but when we were outside it, we wouldn’t really hold a conversation.
‘He usually liked to talk about hunting, guns, stuff like that – that particular subject.
‘He always showed people the guns he wanted to buy and he would always ask if they had any suggestions for which guns they thought would be better and stuff like that.’
Charo added: ‘He was studying marksmanship in JROTC [U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps].
Florida gunman Nikolas Cruz, 19, was trained to use weapons and had taken a marksmanship course with the US Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, a former friend has revealed
Cruz’s former classmate said clashes with peers were not uncommon. The killer allegedly had trouble making friends and was unable to get a girlfriend
Nikolas Cruz pictured as a baby, with his mother Lynda Cruz, who died last year
According to the JROTC website, the 10-lesson course, which is taught using air rifles, covers the history of marksmanship, as well as firearm safety.
Other subjects studied include aiming and firing and sight adjustment, with students given the opportunity to take part in competitions on completing the course.
Charo, who described Cruz as ‘a bit odd’, also said the slightly-built 5ft 7in killer found making friends difficult and was unable to get a girlfriend.
Clashes with classmates were not uncommon, including one incident in which he fought with a boy named Amiyah because Cruz felt ‘he was bothering him’.
After being expelled in early 2017, he reportedly enrolled in evening classes, but also worked for at least six months at a Dollar Tree store in Coral Springs.
Staff at the store confirmed he had worked there but said they could not comment on their former colleague when approached by DailyMail.com.
Charo said it was there that he last saw Cruz, when he dropped by after watching a movie at a nearby cinema.
He told DailyMail.com Cruz had ‘been like he always is’ during the chance encounter last summer but had seemed uninterested in reconnecting with high school friends.
According to the JROTC website, the 10-lesson course, which is taught using air rifles, covers the history of marksmanship, as well as firearm safety (stock photo)
‘I’m not sure he talked to anyone in Douglas after he was expelled,’ he said. ‘I’m pretty sure he didn’t talk to anyone after that – I guess they kind of forgot about him, you know.’
Cruz was arrested last night just over two miles away from his workplace – close to the Coral Springs home he had been living in since the death of his mother Lynda, 68, in November last year.
The Cruz family, comprised Nikolas, his mother Lynda, and his younger brother Zachary, had previously occupied a large home on a quiet road in Parkland until January 2017.
Neighbors there told DailyMail.com that they were relieved when the family moved out, due to Cruz’s strange behavior – and Lynda’s.
One, who asked not to be named but rolled her eyes on hearing Cruz’s name, said: ‘He was weird. There was a lot of history there, a lot of stuff that went on.
Cruz posted a picture of his ‘arsenal’ on his Instagram account
The Cruz family, comprised of the shooter, Lynda, and his younger brother Zachary, had previously occupied a large home (pictured) on a quiet road in Parkland until January 2017
After being expelled in early 2017, Cruz worked for at least six months at a Dollar Tree store in Coral Springs. Staff at the store confirmed he had worked there but said they could not comment
‘Take a closer look at his past, that’s all I’m saying. Look at the mother too – there’s a lot there.’
Charo says despite reportedly being close to Lynda, Cruz never spoke about either his mother or his younger brother.
‘He never mentioned his family,’ he told DailyMail.com. ‘I just found out yesterday he had a younger brother.
‘I actually didn’t know he was adopted. I didn’t know much about his family – he never spoke about them at all, never mentioned them.
‘It was a bit strange but then not a lot of teenagers talk about their families or anything like that.’