FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Former Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy Scot Peterson appeared before a judge after he was arrested for neglect of duty during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting.
Peterson was arrested on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges and booked into the Broward County Jail, Tuesday.
“He was arrested on seven felony counts, three misdemeanor counts and one count of perjury,” said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen. “He stood there for some 45, 48 minutes and did nothing. There is a difference between cowardice and criminal activity. I think what you found here was there are examples of both.”
Peterson was charged with child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury.
He’s accused of failing to investigate the source of gunshots, fleeing approximately 75 feet from the building and remaining there, failing to move toward the gunfire and failing to seek out or confront the shooter.
If convicted, Peterson could spend nearly 100 years in prison.
Attorney Joseph DiRuzzo, who represents Peterson, filed a 14-page motion Wednesday arguing that Peterson is not a caregiver and therefore should be exempt from neglect charges.
Criminal defense attorney Dohn Williams, who is not with the case, said getting a conviction may be tough.
“The abuse charges, the child abuse charges, are unprecedented,” Williams said. “Whether or not he has a duty or he is considered a caregiver, is a central legal issue in interpreting that statute.”
Documents stated the active shooter training Peterson received in April 2016 teaches that time is critical and that victims are the first priority.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualteri, the chair of the MSD Public Safety Commission, said, “Bullets were flying out the window over his head, and he knew that shots were going off, and he knew people were being shot and killed in that building, and he purposely chose to look out for himself as opposed to others. I think the message that this sends to everybody is that this is a terrible situation, and he has been held accountable for it, and I can’t even fathom any other law enforcement officer — in this state or in this country — not doing what they should do like Scot Peterson did.”
On Wednesday morning, Peterson appeared in court where a judge gave him a $102,000 bond.
The judge found probable cause and also ordered Peterson to surrender his passport.
His attorney asked if that condition could be modified so Peterson could get his passport that reportedly is in North Carolina.
“This person may have to travel from Florida back up to North Carolina, and in order to do this, I’m anticipating that this is going to take at least a couple of days,”DiRuzzo said.
The judge denied the request.
The next judge Peterson will see is most likely the same one presiding over confessed killer Nikolas Cruz’s case.
“We expect to be treated fairly just like every other person,” DiRuzzo said.
Ryan Petty, who lost his daughter, Alaina Petty, in the shooting, said Tuesday, “It’s very clear he knew what was happening. It’s very clear to me he knew where the shots were coming from inside the building, and it was very clear he took a defensive position behind a cement pillar and stayed there for 48 minutes.”
Over at the MSD Public Safety Commission meeting, the discussion on school safety continued at the BB&T Center in Sunrise.
Commissioners talked about how to fix the aging radio system in Broward that could delay emergency response time.
“We know with that 17 people died, and one of the contributing factors to my son dying is the fact that these radios failed,” said Max Schachter, the father of Alex Schachter, who died in the massacre. “It took a minute and 20 seconds for law enforcement to even get that call because of the call transfer process. When law enforcement arrived, the radios failed because the system is so old, and it was overloaded. We saw that as SWAT was trying to clear the building. SWAT couldn’t even communicate. You had SWAT from Coral Springs Police Department and BSO had to use runners and use hand signals, going back and fourth. It’s absolutely ridiculous, and this is costing lives.”
Representatives with the Broward County Chiefs of Police Association said the system hasn’t been upgraded because BSO needs approval from the county.
The county has allotted close to $60 million for the construction of several new radio towers across the county.
Communication issues led to a delayed response from law enforcement during the February 2018 massacre at the school.
There were also radio issues during the shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport the year before.
Although the towers are being built, officials said the new system will take a year and a half to be implemented.
“There is a huge vulnerability and potential jeopardy because you’re gonna have an incident that law enforcement may not be able to communicate,” Gualteri said.
Meanwhile, efforts to improve the system include the construction of a 911 tower in Hollywood’s West Lake Park area.
“If, God forbid, there’s another tragedy, the system as it stands right now would not be effective,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “They’re putting the risk, they’re putting children and their neighbors and themselves at risk.”
Broward County Commissioners voted to approve the tower’s construction on May 7.
“It certainly occurs to the Hollywood City Commission tonight to approve the county’s permit, so there isn’t another day in delay and move this forward,” Gualteri said.
However, Wednesday night, Hollywood City Commissioners voted down the county’s permit for the tower inside the park.
Commissioners said they would rather see the tower built on top of a hotel on Young Circle.
A meeting between Hollywood City Commissioners, Broward County Commissioners and the Joint City Commission has been scheduled for Thursday to hash out a solution.
The Florida Police Chiefs Association said the problem with the radio system is that there are two bosses.
Broward County controls the radios, and BSO does not have full control.
However, BSO has asked for full control of all emergency services in the communication department.
They hope that will happen soon so the radio system is more effective.
DiRuzzo has managed to set a hearing for 11 a.m. Thursday. He is expected to argue that some of the laws do not apply to the former deputy because he was not responsible for child care.
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