17 people have died in a shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, with both pupils and teaching staff among the deceased. It has been confirmed that the gunman was former pupil Nikolas Cruz.
The gunman had been expelled from the high school prior to the shooting.
Former student kills at least 17 in Florida school massacre pic.twitter.com/CVqhhDxXno
— Press Association (@PA) February 15, 2018
The 19-year-old started shooting outside the high school, before moving inside the building. The county sheriff Scott Israel stated that 12 people were killed inside the school. The others were shot outside the premises.
Sherriff Israel added, "It's catastrophic. There really are no words."
"I'm saddened to say that 17 people lost their lives."- Sheriff Scott Israel #stonemanshooting
— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) February 14, 2018
Several casualties have been taken to local hospitals, where three people remain in a critical condition.
Nikolas Cruz was also taken to hospital with minor injuries. It is understood that he had been expelled from the school for disciplinary reasons.
Pupils of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have described the shooter as “troubled.”
BREAKING: Florida school shooting suspect was ex-student who may have been flagged as campus threat. “We were told last year that he wasn’t allowed on campus with a backpack on him." https://t.co/wx9NGgJwlP
— David Ovalle (@DavidOvalle305) February 14, 2018
Jim Gard, who is a maths teacher at the school stated that Nikolas Cruz was described as a threat to pupils in the past.
He told the Miami Herald, “We were told last year that he wasn't allowed on campus with a backpack on him.”
"He went up and down the hallway," a student describes being in the same building as the Parkland, Florida, school shooter. https://t.co/NpuWDJ3JEK pic.twitter.com/zvvBXO9sNL
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 14, 2018
However, the Broward Schools superintendent stated that they had no warning that the shooting was going to happen. There were no previous threats or phone calls from the shooter.
A SWAT team and armed officers safely escorted thousands of pupils out of the school following the shooting.
Love each other. You may never know when it may be the last day you meet someone. pic.twitter.com/cckEDvre0r
— Aidan Minoff (@TheCaptainAidan) February 14, 2018
The gunman was arrested without incident away from the school grounds and has been taken into police custody.
