PARKLAND, FLA. (WSVN) - Broward school officials are asking the state legislature to demolish the building where Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and erect a memorial in its place.
Building 12, the site of the Feb. 14 massacre at the Parkland school, sits empty and is now surrounded by a fence.
School officials said students will never again set foot in the structure where freshmen took classes.
“No. No one is going into that building,” said Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie.
The parent of a Stoneman Douglas student said she approves of the decision.
“Why would the kids want to go into a building where there’s been a massacre?” said Presaida Torres.
Runcie has requested state legislators to take steps to ensure Building 12 is torn down. “They have money to do this. We just need them to take action,” he said.
The estimated cost of tearing down the building and creating a new space for students to learn is $28.5 million.
The next step would be erecting a memorial where Building 12 now stands.
“We would work with the victims and their families for them to help us figure out what would be an appropriate type of memorial to erect on that site,” said Runcie.
The permanent tribute would remain long after the flowers and balloons are gone, giving Stoneman Douglas Eagles of the future a place to remember and honor the lives lost there.
Officials have not provided a specific timeline for any of these plans.
The fence around Building 12 will stay in place until the structure comes down.
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