The head sheriff of the department that received 18 warning calls about Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz boasted about his ‘amazing leadership’ and even made a bizarre comparison about the OJ Simpson case.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel announced Thursday that school resource officer Scot Peterson had been suspended after he failed to act on numerous reports about ‘school shooter in the making’ Cruz. As a result, Peterson retired.
Israel defended himself as well as the Broward County Sheriff’s Office while speaking to CNN last week.
‘I can’t predict how an investigation is going, but I’ve exercised my due diligence, I’ve led this county proudly as I always have… we have restricted that deputy as we look into it,’ Israel told CNN host Jake Tapper in a live interview.
CNN’s Jake Tapper interviews Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel about his department’s criticism after they failed to act on the Florida school shooter warnings
Israel defended himself and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office while speaking to CNN last week
Tapper angrily asked about the department’s decision to ignore the red flags, and whether he thought the shooting may have never happened had the department done their job.
‘If ifs and butts were candy and nuts OJ Simpson would still be in the record books,’ Israel replied in his rambling TV appearance.
Tapper then asked Israel: ‘At this point sir, do you understand how the public, seeing red flag after red flag… warning after warning… they hear that your office didn’t even initiate a report?! How could there not even be a report on this?’
Israel replied: ‘Well, if that’s accurate Jake, there needed to be a report and that’s what we’re looking into.’
He pointed the blame to officer Peterson, who he said was wrong by failing to forward the reports to Homeland Security or the Violent Crimes Unit.
School Safety Officer Scot Peterson was suspended last week. He later retired. Peterson is seen speaking at a Broward County Public Schools meeting in 2015
Tapper interrupted Israel to add the details about the 18 missed reports were from Israel’s office – after the sheriff questioned his ‘accurate’ information.
Israel went on to suggest that all deputies and officers make mistakes – and the mistakes should not be seen as a reflection of the general or lead of the department.
He further informed that the investigation is ongoing and Peterson and anyone else involved will face consequences.
The Broward County Sheriff’s office received 18 warning calls about Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz (seen in mugshot)
Cruz (shown at his bond hearing February 15) shot dead 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day
‘We are looking into this aggressively and we’ll take care of it. Justice will be served.’
When Tapper attempted to get Israel to claim partial responsibility for the fail, he boasted further about his work.
‘Our deputies have done amazing things. In the five years I’ve been sheriff, we’ve taken the Broward Sheriff’s office to a new level. I work with some of the bravest people I’ve ever met.’
He claimed he did not know about the reports.
‘One person, at this point, didn’t do what he should have done. It’s horrific… the victims here, the families… I pray for them every night. It makes me sick to my stomach,’ Israel added.
People are brought out of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas after the shooting that killed and injured multiple people. The local police department is under fire for failing to act on reports about Cruz
Medical personnel are seen tending to a victim outside of Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland
Students are brought across Coral Springs Drive from the campus at the high school after Cruz gunned down 17