The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, launched in the aftermath to investigate both the shooting and the response to it, made several recommendations of what must change going forwards. While the survivors and families of the victims have waited more than four years for their day in court, some changes in gun laws and school safety measures have come more quickly. The prosecution rested on 4 August, with the defence beginning its case on 22 August. Since then, jurors have heard harrowing details about the victims’ final moments and have visited the school in Parkland, walking the halls where one of the deadliest high school shootings in US history took place. Now, it’s down to a panel of 12 jurors to decide whether he should be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole or to be sentenced to death for his crimes.įollowing a jury selection process beset by delays and setbacks, opening statements began on 18 July in his sentencing trial.
Last October, Cruz pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of first-degree murder. He was arrested around an hour later casually walking along a street.īefore officers located him, he had gone to a nearby Subway for a drink and then onto a McDonald’s, where – unbeknown to both – he had sat directly opposite the relative of one of the innocent students he had just shot. In the minutes after the attack, Cruz hid in plain sight among the terrified students fleeing the massacre and was able to escape the school grounds unnoticed. The victims were Alyssa Alhadeff, Martin Duque, Nicholas Dworet, Jaime Guttenberg, Luke Hoyer, Cara Loughran, Gina Montalto, Joaquin Oliver, Alaina Petty, Meadow Pollack, Helena Ramsay, Alex Schachter, Carmen Schentrup, Peter Wang, Scott Beigel, Chris Hixon and Aaron Feis.Īnother 17 victims were seriously wounded but survived. In less than four minutes, he had murdered 17 students and staff members. He entered the school’s freshman building, stalking the three floors, where he shot and killed as many innocent victims as he could. This data could help put an end to America’s deadly mass shootings.Nikolas Cruz sentencing: A timeline of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.Biden interrupted by Parkland father at White House event celebrating bipartisan gun legislation.He did not make eye contact with me.”īroward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer also warned potential witnesses not to watch the court proceedings on mainstream media, social media or in the courtroom. “My immediate impression was of a very shy, somewhat fearful student," he testified. Witness John Newnham was a family counselor with the Broward County School Board who treated Nikolas Cruz. “First, I find out on the news had passed away and then I find out Nikolas.” “I was sick to my stomach, uh, I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “He was a biter and a bed-wetter … until he was about 6 or 7.”ĭevaney-Westerlind said she found out about the mass shooting on television while living in New Jersey. “ was very hyper, running around, getting into things," she testified. “ was a very loving mother,” she said, but admitted Nikolas Cruz was a handful. Patricia Devaney-Westerlind’s two children played with Nikolas and Zachary Cruz because they were about the same age and their mothers were close. Lynda Cruz was a bridesmaid for the next witness on the stand Tuesday. “I feel guilty now that I could have done more for him to make him a better person,” she said. “He was in a very loving home and they tried their best,” she said of adoptive parents Lynda and Roger Cruz.įischer did express some regret, in hindsight. It took a while before Fischer learned Cruz was adopted, but she said that didn’t change her opinion of his upbringing. Parkland Jury Makes Rare Visit to School Building Where Shooting Unfoldedįischer testified Cruz had poor language skills, was clumsy, overstimulated and had trouble relating to other children.
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