The principal at the Florida high school where 17 were shot and killed last Wednesday has made his first public comments since the tragedy.
In a two-minute video posted on the school’s website and on YouTube on Saturday, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School principal Ty Thompson told his Eagles family to stay strong and be there for each other.
‘We lost 17 lives on Valentine’s Day. That’s supposed to be the international day of love,’ he said.
‘We’re going to take the love that we got lost on Wednesday, and we’re going to spread that over the next days, weeks, months, and maybe even years.’
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School principal Ty Thompson (pictured) posted a video on Saturday, making his first public comments since three teachers and 14 students were shot and killed on campus on Wednesday
Thompson (pictured) thanked students and staff for following school protocol, the first responders and other schools that offered help and support and pledged to hug each of his 3,300 students ‘as many times as you need’
Thompson thanked students and staff for following school protocol, the first responders and other schools that offered help and support.
He also thanked the thousands of people around the world that have reached out to the school in emails and on social media.
Nikolas Cruz, 19 (pictured), a former Stoneman Douglas student, killed three teachers and 14 students while wounding another 15
‘I’ve received some media inquiries and right now my number one job is to be here for my staff, my students and our community in this time of need,’ Thompson said.
He also pledged that he would be there for the community and became emotional when addressing the students.
‘Eagles, I promise you, I will hug each and every one of you as many times as you need and I will hold you as long as you need me to – for all 3,300 of you and your families – and we will get through this together,’ he said.
Nikolas Cruz, a former Stoneman Douglas student, killed three teachers and 14 students while wounding another 15.
He was arrested about an hour after the shootings and now faces 17 counts of first-degree murder.
The 19-year-old has allegedly confessed to the shootings.
Cruz was arrested about an hour after the shootings and now faces 17 counts of first-degree murder (Pictured, students flee the shooting on Wednesday)
Mourners grieve as they await the start of a candlelight vigil for victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, last Thursday
People hug as they attend a candlelit memorial service for the victims of the shooting on Thursday
Stoneman Douglas students announced on Sunday a march called ‘The March For Our Lives’ has been planned for March 24. The nationwide demonstration is a call for more gun control to end mass shootings and violence.
A GoFundMe account has been set up for the family of the victims in the school shooting. So far, $1.5million has been raised out of a $2million goal.