A 17-year-old Florida girl who lived through the high school Valentine’s Day massacre by hiding out in a closet has exposed eerie details about her grandfather’s similar experience nearly seven decades ago.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School senior Carly Novell shared the shocking story to her Twitter page Thursday morning, less than a day after ‘obsessed’ gunman Nikolas Cruz gunned down dozens of innocent individuals and took the lives of 17.
‘This is my grandpa. When he was 12 years old, he hid in a closet while his family was murdered during the first mass shooting in America,’ Novell wrote to her page.
‘Almost 70 years later, I also hid in a closet from a murderer. These events shouldn’t be repetitive. Something has to change. #douglasstrong’
Novell is referring to 1949 mass shooting brought out by ‘lone wolf’ serial killer, Howard Unruh, a war veteran who went berserk and shot dead 13 men, women, and children in Camden, New Jersey.
Florida high school shooting survivor Carly Novell, who was forced to hide out in a closet at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, says her grandpa did the same nearly 70 years ago
!['This is my grandpa. When he was 12 years old, he hid in a closet while his family was murdered during the first mass shooting in America,' Novell wrote](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/4941878200000578-5397729-image-a-6_1518737778758.jpg)
‘This is my grandpa. When he was 12 years old, he hid in a closet while his family was murdered during the first mass shooting in America,’ Novell wrote
!['Almost 70 years later, I also hid in a closet from a murderer. These events shouldn't be repetitive. Something has to change. #douglasstrong'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/4941878600000578-5397729-image-a-5_1518737770196.jpg)
‘Almost 70 years later, I also hid in a closet from a murderer. These events shouldn’t be repetitive. Something has to change. #douglasstrong’
![Novell (pictured) is referring to the 1949 mass shooting brought out by 'lone wolf' serial killer, Howard Unruh, a war veteran who went berserk and shot dead 13 men, women, and children in Camden, New Jersey](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/494195B900000578-5397729-image-a-2_1518737700746.jpg)
Novell (pictured) is referring to the 1949 mass shooting brought out by ‘lone wolf’ serial killer, Howard Unruh, a war veteran who went berserk and shot dead 13 men, women, and children in Camden, New Jersey
Investigation revealed Unruh was paranoid and had a notion that his neighbors were out to get him.
He was also mentally burdened by the fact that he engaged in a incestuous relationship with his mother, DailyMail.com previously reported.
The gunman shot dead the following people: John Pilarchik, Helga Zegrino, Orris Smith, Thomas Hamilton, Alvin Day, Jason Hutton, Maurice Cohen, Rose Cohen, Minnie Cohen, Helen Matlack Wilson, John Wilson and Emma Matlack – ranging from ages two to 68.
The ‘lone wolf’ reportedly used a 9mm German Luger pistol – commonly used by soldiers in WWII.
The teen Novell told HuffPost her grandfather, Charles Cohen, was just 12 at the time he experienced the mass neighborhood shooting and she had become knowledgeable about the tragedy through family stories.
![Pictured above is a family photograph of Merri Novell with her daughter Carly and father Charles Cohen](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/4941877600000578-5397729-image-a-7_1518737796790.jpg)
Pictured above is a family photograph of Merri Novell with her daughter Carly and father Charles Cohen
‘His mom told him to hide in the closet while they stayed in the room,’ Novell told HuffPost.
‘My grandpa heard everything and after that he lived with his cousin until he went to military school I believe… he never really talked about what happened and I didn’t find out until after he died,’ Novell said.
‘But family was so incredibly important to him because of what happened… He wasn’t as lucky as me.’
Novell’s beloved granddad passed away back in 2009, and she said in the interview that she now ‘shares something really important’ with him.
The teen recalled the heartrending moment she and others in the Florida school realized what was happening the afternoon of February 14.
![Novell's beloved granddad passed away back in 2009, and she said in the interview that she now 'shares something really important' with him](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/494195BF00000578-5397729-image-a-8_1518738046384.jpg)
Novell’s beloved granddad passed away back in 2009, and she said in the interview that she now ‘shares something really important’ with him
![Above is a scene outside the Florida school as students are evacuated by police](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/4938FF9000000578-5397729-image-a-9_1518738066376.jpg)
Above is a scene outside the Florida school as students are evacuated by police
![The teen recalled the heartrending moment she and others in the Florida school were forced to hide in closets to safety](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/493904D400000578-5397729-image-a-10_1518738073714.jpg)
The teen recalled the heartrending moment she and others in the Florida school were forced to hide in closets to safety
![Above rescue workers are shown tending to victims in the high school shooting that killed 70 and injured several others](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/49385AB400000578-5397729-image-a-11_1518738080080.jpg)
Above rescue workers are shown tending to victims in the high school shooting that killed 70 and injured several others
![People gather waiting for word from students at Coral Springs Drive and the Sawgrass Expressway just south of the campus following following the shooting](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/4938F34600000578-5397729-image-a-12_1518738089842.jpg)
People gather waiting for word from students at Coral Springs Drive and the Sawgrass Expressway just south of the campus following following the shooting
‘I didn’t have to hear anything. But I still felt it all,’ Novell revealed.
She had been hiding out in the school’s ‘newspaper room’ inside a closet in fear.
‘We were all squished together in the closet and I was comforting my friends while they were having panic attacks… I didn’t know when I would get out.
‘I just knew that I had to survive and I had to make sure everyone was OK. I’ve never felt more relief than when I did when the police came and got us.’
![The expelled 'gun-obsessed' gunman, Nikolas Cruz, who shot dead 17 and left up to 50 injured in Florida high shooting, is pictured on Instagram](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/49412CAA00000578-5397729-image-a-13_1518738118775.jpg)
The expelled ‘gun-obsessed’ gunman, Nikolas Cruz, who shot dead 17 and left up to 50 injured in Florida high shooting, is pictured on Instagram
![The 19-year-old murderer was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder during his first court appearance Thursday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/15/23/49404E3A00000578-5397729-image-a-14_1518738130332.jpg)
The 19-year-old murderer was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder during his first court appearance Thursday
Novell spoke of the horrific memory that will stay with her forever just hours after expelled gunman Cruz, who was armed with a AR-15 rifle, attacked several innocents in a rage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High.
The 19-year-old murderer was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder during his first court appearance Thursday.
Cruz’s defense team told reporters outside the court room their client is ‘sad’ and remorseful’ and said he was on suicide watch prior to the deadly massacre.
One member of his defense team, Gordon Weeks, said Cruz ‘recognizes’ what he has done and is mournful.
The defense claimed the killer is suffering autism, depression and significant psychological problems – all without a support system most others have.
Meanwhile, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed she ‘certain’ prosecutors will be seeking the death penalty for the disturbed criminal.