An official report by a Coral Springs police officer states that the Broward County Sheriff’s Deputies who first responded to the Parkland, Florida school shooting failed to act.
Officer Bryan Wilkins wrote a report on the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Wilkins, who works in the neighboring town of Coral Springs, described how deputies from Broward County never entered the school, instead standing behind cars in the parking lot. Wilkins suggested that they knew the shooter was inside, actively murdering people.
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Wilkins’ report was first released by the Miami Herald, and has since circulated online as a PDF. It corroborates early accounts and rumors that many of the first responders to the Valentine’s Day tragedy may not have fulfilled their duty.
“I saw approximately four Broward County Sheriff’s Office vehicles parked in the west bound lane with their personnel taking up exterior positions behind their vehicles,” Wilkins wrote. “I drove up just west of the campus building 1200, exited my vehicle, grabbed my AR-15 rifle and donned on my tactical/medical gear. As I was advancing on foot through the chain-link fence, I was advised by an unknown BSO Deputy taking cover behind a tree, ‘he is on the third floor.’”
Wilkins said that he was joined by two other police officers as he entered the building. Inside, he was greeted by a crowd of dead and wounded people. Another police report released on Tuesday said that dispatch told officers on the scene that the gunman was being watched on surveillance footage.
“We were prepared to engage the shooter on the second floor,” wrote Officer Scott Meyers. “After several moments we were advised the CCTV was not live and that an unknown delay existed. We were later informed that the suspect was seen exiting the building via CCTV. Our team transitioned to a rescue team and we evacuated every classroom on the second floor.”
The shooter, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, killed 17 people before escaping and blending in with the crowd of students fleeing the scene. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office was heavily criticized following the shooting. The school’s resource officer, Scot Peterson, retired in a hurry after security footage showed him standing outside for four minutes while shots rang out in the school.
Many survivors of the shooting are fighting for gun law reform, as state and school board officials examine new options for school security.
