Jury decides on verdict for Parkland shooting deputy’s negligence.

A Florida Sheriff’s Deputy Acquitted in Parkland School Massacre Trial

In a historic trial, a Florida sheriff’s deputy has been acquitted of felony child neglect and other charges for his conduct during the 2018 Parkland school massacre. Former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson wept as the verdicts were read, following 19 hours of deliberation over four days by the jury.

Peterson, the campus deputy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, had been accused of failing to confront shooter Nikolas Cruz during the six-minute attack that claimed the lives of 17 people. Despite facing the possibility of nearly 100 years in prison and the loss of his pension, Peterson was found not guilty.

During the trial, prosecutors presented testimony from students, teachers, and law enforcement officers who experienced the horror of the shooting and knew where Cruz was. They also called a training supervisor who confirmed that Peterson did not follow protocols for confronting an active shooter.

On the other hand, Peterson’s attorney emphasized the failure of the sheriff’s radio system during the attack and called witnesses who testified that they did not believe the shots were coming from the building where Peterson was stationed. Peterson himself did not testify, claiming that echoes made it difficult to pinpoint the shooter’s location.

Security videos showed that Peterson exited his office and joined unarmed civilian security guards in a cart about a minute after Cruz’s attack began. He arrived at the building 36 seconds later. However, instead of opening the door and confronting Cruz, Peterson took cover in the alcove of a neighboring building, where he remained for 40 minutes after the shooting had ended.

Verdict and Sentencing

Peterson’s acquittal comes after the jury in Cruz’s trial could not unanimously agree on the death penalty. Instead, Cruz, a former Stoneman Douglas student, was sentenced to life in prison.

After nearly three decades of working at schools, including nine years at Stoneman Douglas, Peterson retired shortly after the shooting and was subsequently fired retroactively.

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

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