PARKLAND, FLA. (WSVN) - New claims about the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are shining a damning spotlight on the law enforcement response — not only on the armed school resource officer who, officials said, did not go inside the building during the massacre, but on three Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies who remained outside as well, according to a CNN report.
Survivors of the Feb. 14 shooting sounded off about now former school resource officer Scot Peterson’s actions or lack thereof.
“You made a promise to us and a promise to your community to protect, and you don’t, then what are you there for?” said survivor Samantha Fuentes.
Officials said Peterson, who was assigned to the Parkland high school, stood outside as Nikolas Cruz went on a deadly rampage that claimed 17 lives and sent more than a dozen other victims to the hospital.
Peterson, who had served in uniform for more than three decades, is now off the force and facing criticism for not going in to confront the shooter.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Peterson was on campus when the shooting started and arrived at the building about a minute and a half later but never went in.
“He had a chance to do something, and he decided that he didn’t want to, and that’s a problem,” said Fuentes.
Peterson isn’t the only BSO deputy accused of dropping the ball as the school shooter caused chaos.
CNN reported, Friday, that when Coral Springs Police officers arrived at Stoneman Douglas, there were three other armed BSO deputies outside as students ran for their lives.
According to CNN, the other deputies were behind their cars with their guns drawn, but they never went in to find the shooter.
Broward County Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie spoke out about the report in an interview with CNN.
“I was just shocked, outraged, angry,” he said. “Today’s news worsens the pain and grief that this entire community is going through.”
Coral Springs Police pushed back on the report. The department released a statement that reads in part, “The Coral Springs Police Department has not made any official statements to the media regarding these allegations, as it is still an open and active investigation being handled by the Broward Sheriff’s Office … Any actions or inactions that negatively affected the response will be investigated thoroughly, and the information will be released officially from the proper agency spokesperson.”
The report comes as more disturbing details come to light about tips made to the FBI about Cruz.
“There was a mistake made. We know that,” said Acting FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich.
In recently released transcripts, callers warned the FBI about Cruz.
In a Jan. 5 call, a caller to an FBI tip line went into detail about aspects of Cruz’s behavior they found disturbing.
“He’s only 18, but he’s got the mental capacity of a 12- to a 14-year-old,” said the caller. “If you go to his Instagram pages, you’ll see all the guns.”
The caller went on to say, “I just want someone to know about this so they can look into it … I just know I have a clear conscience if he takes off and just starts shooting places up.”
The caller added, “I know he’s going to explode.”
“It is our job to make sure that we do everything in our power to ensure that does not happen again.” said Bowdich. “It is not easy work. I’m not making excuses, because what happened was a tragedy.”
Meanwhile, many in the community said Peterson should have done more.
Speaking with 7News on Friday, Stoneman Douglas senior Brandon Huff, who was at the school during the shooting, said he saw the resource officer hiding behind a stairwell at a building next to Building 12, where the shooting took place.
“He was pointing his gun at nothing. He was pointing his gun at just a building with kids in it,” said Huff. “He was just talking on the radio, and he never did anything.”
The student said Peterson was in a unique position to possibly save lives but chose not to act.
“He’s the only one with a gun. He’s wearing a bulletproof vest,” said Huff. “He has all that, while school security guards, coaches, pretty much, were running in, shielding kids from bullets.”
Broward’s sheriff suspended Peterson without pay, and he immediately resigned and retired.
“He wasn’t very into what was going on,” said parent Cindy Levine. “I don’t know what the problem was with him.”
And, while some teachers are standing by Peterson, some parents said they’ve had trouble finding him in the past.
“I feel like he was getting close to retirement, and he just wanted to play out his days, that sort of thing,” said Levine.
While BSO deputies continue to be criticized, protesters who came together on Saturday called for Israel to resign.
“Get lost,” said demonstrator Mary Tulko. “He’s against the NRA, and he’s for gun control, OK? So that says it right there. That says a lot right there.”
“He should be responsible for what his officers do,” said another protester, “and I think that he’s against the Second Amendment. If you take the guns away from the good people, the only people that will have guns are the bad people.”
BSO officials have not replied to 7News’ calls for comment.
7News also tried to reach Peterson at his home on Saturday, but guards outside his home turned a crew away.
He remains under investigation even though he chose to resign.
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