There was an armed police officer working at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida—but, despite being on the scene just one minute after the deadliest school shooting in American history, he didn’t intervene in the attack.
Security footage show Scot Peterson, a deputy with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, arriving at the school’s Building 12 one minute after shooting began. He took a position outside the building’s entrance, but didn’t actually go inside to confront alleged shooter Nikolas Cruz, 19.
The shooting, which resulted in the deaths of 17 students, last another five minutes after Peterson arrived outside the building.
Five minutes.
Despite being armed and employed to keep the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School safe, Peterson didn’t go inside to stop the shooting.
For five minutes.
The attack lasted a total of six minutes, after which Cruz put down his weapons and tried to blend into the crowd of students fleeing the school.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel made the shocking admission, as part of the department’s investigation into the mass shooting.
“Sick to my stomach,” Israel said, of seeing Peterson’s cowardly actions, while addressing the media. “There are no words.”
When asked what Peterson should have done instead? Israel succinctly answered: “Went in. Address the killer. Kill the killer.”
Peterson had, initially, informed the department of his retirement, but by Thursday night, reports began circulating that he had, in fact, resigned his job.
The horrifying revelation that an armed police officer was on the scene, and refused to stop the shooting, comes on the heels of another colossal failure of government.
Last week, the FBI admitted they dropped the ball by not following up or investigation very clear evidence they received that showed Cruz planning to shoot up his former high school.
