The armed security guard stationed outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School refused to enter the school, instead hiding from gunman Nikolas Cruz when he opened fire, killing 17 on February 14.
Scot Peterson, the school’s resource officer, did not confront the gunman and instead stood positioned outside the school during the massacre, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Thursday.
He ‘never went in,’ Israel explained, citing security footage, and adding that he was armed and in uniform when bullets started to rain.
And in an interview with the New York Times, Coral Springs Officer Burton revealed Peterson hid from Cruz when the teenager started shooting.
Burton said Peterson ‘was seeking cover behind a concrete column leading to a stairwell,’ because he was worried Cruz could be lurking in the lot. He said Peterson couldn’t hear gunshots or screams to lead him to the precise location of the shooting.
Israel said Peterson was suspended without pay as police conduct an internal investigation, NBC Los Angeles reported. But instead of waiting it out, Peterson chose that moment to resign and retire from his position.
The armed security guard stationed outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School didn’t go into the school on February 14 when gunman Nikolas Cruz opened fire, killing 17. Pictured are students embracing after the shooting
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel (pictured Wednesday night) said the school’s resource officer Scot Peterson has been suspended without pay as police conduct an internal investigation, reported NBC Los Angeles
‘After seeing video and witness statements, and Peterson’s own statement, I decided this morning… to suspend Scot Peterson without pay pending an internal investigation,’ Israel said.
Israel said that instead of just standing there, Peterson should have ‘went in, addressed the killer and killed.’
Peterson never discharged his gun during the shooting.
When the attack ended Cruz managed to ditch his semiautomatic AR-15 and slip away on foot. Within about seven minutes from when the gunfire began he was out of the school and in a nearby neighborhood where he was ultimately stopped by an officer from a neighboring police department.
The first officers to enter the school did so roughly 10 minutes after gunfire started, but at that point Cruz had already escaped.
It took about 30 minutes after the gunfire started for police to track Cruz down. After that it took an additional 15 minutes for police to identify him. Many students were still cowering behind locked doors for 45 minutes after the attack started, unsure if the person banging on their classroom doors was the shooter or the police.
In 2014 Peterson was presented with the title of School Resource Officer of the Year for the City of Parkland District by the Broward County Crime Commission because he proved ‘to be reliable in handling issues with tact and judgment.’
He said Peterson was positioned outside the school, adding that he was armed and in uniform during the shooting. But when he heard the gunfire begin, he ‘never went in,’ Israel explained, citing security footage. Students are pictured the day after the fatal massacre
Israel said that instead of just standing there, Peterson should have ‘went in, addressed the killer and killed.’ Students are pictured with their hands over their heads as they evacuate Marjory Stoneman Douglas High after the shooting
During Thursday’s conference Israel also addressed prior calls officers in Broward had received related to the gunman, many of which pointed to his instability and likelihood to carry out the crime he did.
He said two officers who previously responded to one of those calls have been placed on restrictive duty.
‘In two of the cases, after being briefed by internal affair,s I’ve restricted two of our deputies to take statements and make a decision to see whether they should have and could have,’ done something to prevent the Parkland tragedy, Israel explained.
‘Our main goal at this point, absent of helping these families heal and keeping our schools safe, is making sure this killer receives and justice he deserves,’ Israel said prior to today’s press conference.
Israel also announced Wednesday that he has directed a new policy that will see Broward County deputies armed with rifles and stationed at schools. He said he does not support arming teachers.
Cruz has been charged with 17 counts of murder after Thursday’s shooting.
He had previously been reported to police and FBI agents on multiple occasions due to his disturbing behavior at school and on social media, and particularly regarding his affliction with weapons.