A British schoolboy has told of his horror at seeing a fleeing student gunned down in the Florida school massacre.
Ben Bullock, 13, was in an outdoor science lesson at the middle school next to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High when Nikolas Cruz carried out his shooting spree with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle.
‘I heard some gunshots and I saw some high schoolers running,’ Ben said. ‘In the distance, as the shots were going on, I saw a boy running and then I saw him go down.
‘We were all rushed into the class and continued to hear gunshots. And then a couple of high schoolers who were running came in and one of them had blood on his trousers.’
The teenager was trapped inside his class at Westglades Middle School for two hours as Cruz, 19, killed 14 students and three teachers in Parkland – America’s second-worst school shooting.
Ben Bullock, 13, has spoken of his terror at seeing a fleeing student gunned down during the school massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Florida
His mother Kirstie, 47, said: ‘We don’t know if the person Ben saw being shot made it. Our hearts go out to all those who’ve lost loved ones.
‘My neighbour was taking her daughter to a funeral this morning – 14-year-olds shouldn’t have to go through that.’
She said the family moved from Windsor, Berkshire, to Parkland seven years ago because they viewed it as a safe haven with exceptional schooling.
‘This community that we live in, we jokingly refer to it as “The Bubble”,’ she added. ‘We are very proud and happy to live in that bubble. I am still in shock.
‘When you watch the news and hear about a school shooting your mind instinctively goes to Columbine and Sandy Hook. Then you realise you are talking about your neighbourhood. And that really hasn’t sunk in yet.’
As funerals for the victims of the Valentine’s Day killings continued this weekend, the community was left reeling from revelations that the FBI had been tipped off about Cruz six weeks ago but did not act.
He has no idea if the student he saw gunned down made it out alive. At the time of the shooting Bullock was in an outdoor science lesson
A person close to the loner called the FBI’s hotline on January 5 with information about his gun ownership, and his desire to kill people and carry out a school massacre.
Florida Governor Rick Scott said the agency’s director Christopher Wray must resign, while Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered a review, lamenting FBI ‘failures’.
Yesterday Donald Trump and his wife Melania visited survivors in hospital and the local sheriff’s office, thanking them for their response to the tragedy. Mr Trump is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate 40 miles away.
Cruz, who fired more than 150 rounds, has offered to plead guilty to 17 murders to avoid the death penalty. Last night there was further outrage after a gun fair selling rifles similar to the type used by Cruz went ahead just 22 miles away from the scene of his crimes.
At least 100 AR-15 semi-automatics were on sale from £410 each, many capable of firing 5.56mm bullets – the same used by Nato forces. Other guns on sale in Hollywood, Florida, included Uzi submachine pistols and Kalashnikov rifles.
AR-15 salesman Dallas Speer, 31, insisted it was right to go ahead with the show. ‘Anyone buying one goes through a comprehensive background check,’ he said. ‘It goes into felony charges, domestic abuse. We feel confident selling these.’
Salesman Steve Rosenbaum, 71, expressed sympathy for the Parkland victims – but said he believed teachers should take weapons inside schools to combat an attack.
He added: ‘People have a right to live their lives and those kids had a right to stay alive. But the show goes on, and that’s the sentiment here.’
Nikolas Cruz, 19, killed 17 people during a shooting spree with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle