Breaking: School Shooting in Florida [UPDATE: 17 Dead]

Ken AshfordBreaking News, Crime, Gun ControlLeave a Comment

3:15 pm ET – Shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. Broward County Sheriff Office saying 20-50 hurt. Students and teachers told to barricade although some are evacuated. SWAT team present.  Shooter(s) unknown and at large.

3:25 pm — Reports are that the police know who the shooter is, but not saying anything until confirmed. He is a student.

Another student on television said he had a rifle — knew him — said he was weird.

3:40 pm — Fox News echoing Fire Marshall saying that at least one killed.

Shooter reportedly pulled the fire alarm as part of planned shooting.  Still at large.

3:55 pm — There was a massive police response, including a SWAT team. The FBI and ATF are also responding.

“Person of interest” has been taken into custody at his home. Authorities believe he was online last night and were able to determine identity of victim.

Florida senator says “many people have been killed”.

This screen capture appears to show the suspect in custody (burgandy shirt)

Apparently, this happened in one classroom. Students were able to ID the student, and police converged on his house. This is how he was caught.

4:05 pm — Still no all-clear though.

4:10 pm — Ah, this explains it.  The suspect in custody was apparently on a Youtube conversation about bombs last night (amazing how fast they got this info) so there is no all-clear because they need to check school for bombs.

4:15 pm — This happened toward the end of school. Many students did not have a last period class. There was a fire drill earlier in the day, which made the second one seem odd.  There was a Broward County police officer on duty in the school when it happened.  Press gets confirmation that suspect is in custody.  Motive unknown.

Superintendent of schools say that there are “numerous fatalities” at the Stoneman Douglas High School.

4:23 pm — Not sure what it happening but the live helicopter shot appears to show the suspect in a hospital gurney now being put into an ambulance.  Nobody is mentioning it.

Correction: Local Florida news identifies suspect as FORMER student of the high school.  Shooter being taken to hospital.

4:35 pm — Unconfirmed reports of “as many as seven dead”

4:50 pm — Social media has identified the shooter as RTOC student Nikolas Cruz. He was watching YouTube videos on how to make bombs last night.  Pictures below are from social media.

5:00 pm — Apparently deranged, but teachers and the school knew of him as being a possible threat. He was told never to appear on campus with a backpack.  Miami Herald is the first news outlet to confirm his name as Nikolas De Jesus Cruz, aged 19.

This is his high school picture.

7:00 pm — Death toll: 17.  Three were killed outside the school.

Another 17 injured; 3 in critical condition

Suspect used AR-15, and had multiple magazines. He pulled the fire alarm to make it easy to shoot students. He slipped out with the other evacuating students. He was expelled last year. Gun nut.

NRA contributions:

•John McCain: $7.7m
•Richard Burr: $7m
•Roy Blunt: $4.6m
•Thom Tillis: $4.4m
•Cory Gardner: $3.9m
•Marco Rubio: $3.3m
•Joni Ernst: $3.1m
•Rob Portman: $3m
•Todd Young: $2.9m
•Bill Cassidy: $2.9m