At Least 17 Dead, 20 Wounded In Florida High School Shooting; Suspect Identified As Former Student

At Least 17 Dead, 20 Wounded In Florida High School Shooting; Suspect Identified As Former Student & in Custody

Compiled by TLB Staff

Law enforcement officers descended on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, located at 5901 Pine Island Road, Parkland, FL. this afternoon responding to a mass shooting. The suspected gunman (Nicolas de Jesus Cruz) is described as a white male wearing a burgundy shirt. The video below shows him being taken into custody and indicates that he was working at the school and was known to school staff.

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School board officials stated that the staff and students heard what sounded like gunfire shortly before school was due to end for the day. Reports indicate the school went into an immediate lockdown.

Here is what we know in a running summary form of today’s tragic shooting:

  • At least 17 killed, more than 20 injured
  • 19-year-old suspect arrested and identified as Nicolas de Jesus Cruz, former student
  • Teachers had been warned not to let Cruz onto campus with a backpack, and he had previously been the subject of schoolwide warnings about possible violence; last year he was not allowed to come back on campus because of threats against students.
  • It’s not clear why he left the school
  • The town of Parkland is about 45 miles north of Miami
  • Sheriff said the total won’t be known until the SWAT team gives the “all clear” – the school is still considered an active crime scene
  • The sheriff said that the suspect had “countless magazines” and was believed to have used an AR-15 rifle, used in previously mass shooting incidents including Newtown, Aurora and San Bernardino
  • One twitter user estimated that, since the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999, more than 150,000 US students have been directly affected by school shootings

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said he has spoken with law enforcement about the shooting and NBC News reported that President Donald Trump was aware of the situation and monitoring.

Broward County Sheriff updates school shooting here…

Watch a live feed of the coverage below:

Cruz is a legal adult and can be charged as such. At this point, it’s unclear if Cruz is cooperating with police.

His arraignment will in all likelihood be tomorrow morning in Broward County State Court.

One expert said that Cruz may have legally purchased his firearm in the state of Florida where, despite warnings about his behavior, he wouldn’t have been disqualified for mental health reasons.

Cruz reportedly followed numerous gun groups as well as resistance groups on social media.

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TLB compiled this report from various sources, including Rick Wells.US, ZeroHedge.com, Youtube feeds and sources of public domain.

 Follow TLB on Twitter @thetlbproject

 

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