As all eyes were on the Supreme Court on Thursday, jurors at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, found former sheriff’s deputy Scot Peterson not guilty of seven felony counts of child neglect and three counts of culpable negligence during the tragic mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Peterson, the former school resource officer, chose, according to prosecutors, to ignore his training and stay outside of the three-story 1200 building while 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz went on a six-minute Valentine’s Day rampage in 2018, killing 17 students and staffers and injuring 17 more. The massacre is, to this day, the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history.
Peterson’s attorney argued that the officer was unable to discern where the shots were coming from, which is why he failed to enter the building, according to CNN.
When the verdict came down, Peterson burst into tears.
JUST IN: A jury has acquitted the former school resource officer who stayed outside during the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, finding him not guilty on all counts https://t.co/X0nvzH8fbh pic.twitter.com/vFUDRcCH8D
— CNN (@CNN) June 29, 2023
“I’ve got my life back,” he told the waiting reporters following the verdict, adding that the past five years have been “an emotional roller coaster.”
Peterson put the blame for the massacre solely on the shooter.
“The only person to blame was that monster,” he said. “It wasn’t any law enforcement, nobody on that scene, from BSO, Coral Springs. Everybody did the best they could. We did the best we could with the information we had, and God knows we wish we had more at that point.”
Tony Montalto’s 14-year-old daughter, Gina, was one of the children killed that dark day. He believes Peterson should have been found guilty of fleeing the scene.
“Sadly we don’t understand what you need to see to find people guilty in Broward County,” Montalto said, according to the Daily Mail.
“There’s video of the former deputy commissioner hearing the shot, running and hiding, taking up the position for 48 minutes, standing still while other officers rushed in, standing still while victim[s] were brought out,” he explained.
As he spoke, Peterson’s supporters burst into celebratory cheers for his release.
“That shows the sportsmanship of the deputy’s supporters,” Montalto wryly remarked.
“For our families, we still feel he should be haunted every day by his failure to act,” the father continued. “I know he caused, or he contributed, I should say, to the deaths of my daughter, Gina, her schoolmates and their teachers.”
On Twitter, the word “coward” was repeated time and time again in response to Peterson’s acquittal:
So he was found not guilty for being selfish and so 17 children were slaughtered, and he could avoid doing the very job he applied for. The new America; cowardice. Crying like a baby for himself.
— MDHNorton, a life well lived. (@MdhNorton) June 29, 2023
Coward
— Giuseppe Mercadante (@itsmercadante) June 29, 2023
Then Law Enforcement agencies shouldn’t hire Cowards! His actions cost lives that could have been saved and though he was acquitted he has to live with that reality the rest of his life!
— RCHAD3 (@RCHAD31) June 30, 2023
He was a coward for running away. He should’ve been found guilty. A lot of lives could’ve been saved. #Parkland. #Florida https://t.co/1KLBG1KRaI
— # Luis (@DontQuoteMe00) June 29, 2023
“I couldn’t live with myself if I was him,” said one Twitter user. “Maybe his actions weren’t criminal, but wow, what a useless excuse for a man.”
I couldn’t live with myself if I was him.
Maybe his actions weren’t criminal, but wow, what a useless excuse for a man.
— Sunshine State of Mind ⛅️ (@foundinsunshine) June 29, 2023
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.