Following the Florida high school shooting on Wednesday afternoon, authorities have now released the identity of the shooter as Nicolas de Jesus Cruz.
Cruz is reportedly a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, according to the Miami Herald. According to posts on a since-deleted Instagram purportedly belonging to Cruz, he has a penchant for knives and guns.
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Per reports prior to Cruz being identified, the shooter was described to CNN news affiliate, WSVN, as wearing a black hat, a maroon or burgundy colored shirt and black pants. He was last seen on the west side of a three-story building on campus.
The father of a student at the high school said the suspect pulled a fire alarm and opened fire as students left their classrooms and went into the hallway, WKBN reports.
A student at the school told Fox 6, “We all thought it was a fire drill because we had one previously today. And we thought it was, so no one was that nervous, but then word started going around that it was shots and not just, like, something else, everyone just started running towards the canal.”
Not long after law enforcement arrived on scene, the Broward county school board begin tweeting information about the shooting.
“Today, close to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s dismissal, students and staff heard what sounded like gunfire. The school immediately went on lockdown but is now dismissing students. We are receiving reports of possible multiple injuries. Law enforcement is on site,” they explained in their first tweet.
“Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is now dismissing students. We are receiving reports of possible multiple injuries. Law enforcement and the District’s Special Investigative Unit are currently on site. The District will provide updates as more information becomes available, a subsequent tweet read.
As soon as the news was released Twitter users took to the social media site to share their support and sympathy over the senseless act.
“Hoping everyone in the school shooting that’s ongoing in Florida are safe. Thinking of you all,” said one concerned news-watcher.
“Prayers go out to the families and students affected by the high school shooting in Florida,” tweeted another.
First Lady Melania Trump also took to Twitter to tweet “thoughts & prayers” to families and victims of the shooting at a Florida high school. “My heart is heavy over the school shooting in Florida. Keeping all affected in my thoughts & prayers,” the First Lady wrote.
