FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Broward County judge has denied a motion that asked the court to drop the charges filed against former Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy Scot Peterson.
Peterson had asked a judge to drop the charges, but instead, he will have to convince a jury that he was not criminally negligent during the Parkland shooting.
The 58-year-old former deputy remained outside of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and took cover behind a vehicle as the shooting unfolded on Feb. 14, 2018, according to surveillance video.
Peterson claimed in the motion that his actions had been misjudged, and he would not have stood by while children and his friends were being massacred and killed.
Attorney Mark Eiglarsh released a statement following the judge’s ruling that read:
“While we are extremely disappointed with the judge’s decision, we take solace knowing that the truth will come out at trial. My client is innocent of any criminal wrongdoing and did all he could to save lives during Nikolas Cruz’s abhorrent massacre.
“The public has been fed a false narrative about Scot Peterson. We have overwhelming evidence proving that the numerous actions that my client took during the attack was done to save lives.”
A total of 17 students and staff were killed in the tragedy.
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