Coral Springs police officers are reportedly upset that some Broward County Sheriff’s deputies did not go into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida after shooter Nikolas Cruz opened fire on Feb. 14.
Coral Springs sources told CNN that the Coral Springs officers were surprised that Deputy Scot Peterson and three other deputies were outside the building when they arrived. They took positions behind their vehicles, with their pistols drawn, but none of them went into the building where the shooting was happening.
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The Coral Springs officers later entered the building and new Broward deputies arrived to assist. Two of the new deputies and a Sunrise, Florida police officer joined the Coral Springs officers as they rushed into the building.
Still, CNN’s Coral Springs sources said the officers were “stunned and upset” that none of the original four went into the building. It is not clear if Cruz was still inside the building when the Coral Springs officers arrived, CNN reports.
Coral Springs police plan on releasing a report next week about their actions at the shooting. The sources said tapes of the scene are still being investigated and they could differ from what officers recall a week after the incident.
Tension between Coral Springs and Broward County officials was on public display at the Feb. 15 vigil, where Coral Springs City Manager Mike Goodrum was seen confronting Broward Sheriff Scott Israel.
“Given the horrific events of that day emotions were running high and the sheriff and I had a heated moment the following evening. Sheriff Israel and I have spoken several times since and I can assure you that our departments have a good working relationship and the utmost respect for each other,” Goodrum told CNN. He did not discuss the details of their discussion.
CNN also obtained an internal email written by Coral Springs Police Chief Tony Pustizzi, in which he responded to the concerns his officers had with the Broward deputies.
“I understand that another agency has given the impression that it had provided the majority of the rescue efforts, and that the tremendous work of the Coral Springs Police and Fire Departments has not been recognized. Please know that this issue will be addressed, and the truth will come out in time,” the email read. “The focus for us now, however, must be on healing — for ourselves, our families, our community and those residents surrounding us. While recognition is not the reason we choose to do what we do, our Commission, City Manager and residents are well aware of the actions our members took in the face of danger and the heroes that you are.”
The scrutiny of the Broward deputies’ response to the shooting, in which 17 people were killed, has increased this week. On Thursday, Israel said Peterson was the school recourse officer and armed, but never went inside the building during the shooting.
On Friday, the Broward Sheriff’s Office released details of 18 calls involving Cruz, but said none of the incidents were “arrestable under Florida law.”
