Seventeen people were killed and more wounded when a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Authorities identified the shooter as Nikolas Cruz.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said 17 people were killed during the shooting. Twelve people were killed inside the school, two people were killed just outside the school, one person was killed on a nearby road, and two people died at the hospital. Israel said he believed Cruz used an AR-15 rifle.
Israel said some victims are still undergoing surgery at local hospitals.
The FBI and the Broward County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the crime scene and investigators are “dissecting” Cruz’s social media and websites. Cruz was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder on Thursday.
Aerial footage from the school showed a number of people being treated for injuries on the ground outside of the school, CNN reports as students posted about sheltering in place.
UPDATE: At least 20 victims in “mass casualty incident” at Parkland, Florida, high school, according to Margate Fire Department https://t.co/1Y5NBGZMdE pic.twitter.com/zGzTzk8ACU
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/TheCaptainAidan/status/963865696643026944
Israel confirmed the Cruz is not a current student but attended the school in the past. The suspect is believed to be approximately 18 years old.
https://twitter.com/browardsheriff/status/963896467609014273
According to a math teacher, Cruz has previously been banned from being on campus with a backpack.
Math teacher of the suspected Florida school shooter says “we were told last year that he wasn’t allowed on campus with a backpack on him … There were problems with him last year threatening students, and I guess he was asked to leave campus.” https://t.co/D64QpD9ZUB
— Matt Pearce 🦅🇺🇸 (@mattdpearce) February 14, 2018
The Coral Springs Police Department said students were asked to remain barricaded inside the school and that police were still clearing the school as of 4pm CT.
A reporter for CBS Miami spoke with a student via text message who said there was a “really loud noise” and students were “crying in the closet.”
#BSO is working a developing incident regarding a report of active shooter located at 5901 Pine Island Rd, Parkland. Here’s what we know so far: deputies are responding to reports of a shooting at Stoneman Douglas High. There are reports of victims. PIO will be on scene 3:15pm.
— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) February 14, 2018
A student told WSVN they heard a fire alarm for the second time on Wednesday. When they were walking down a stairwell they heard gunshots. The student said her teacher tried to lock the door and was shot when he was closing the door.
“The door was left open the whole time,” she said, later describing the scene as the shooter was nearby: “As he walked by the door was open. He could have walked by at any time. We just had to be as quiet as possible.”
Student says teacher died trying to save students pic.twitter.com/ajiqTmarlt
— WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) February 14, 2018
President Donald Trump is aware of the shooting.
“The President has been made aware of the school shooting in Florida. We are monitoring the situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected,” the White House said in a statement.
Trump also tweeted about the incident shortly before 3pm CT.
Just spoke to Governor Rick Scott. We are working closely with law enforcement on the terrible Florida school shooting.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2018
In a statement, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that “We continue to keep the victims, and their friends and family, in our thoughts and prayers.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
