The armed officer stationed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., resigned Thursday after an internal review found he did not enter the school during last week’s deadly shooting.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel announced deputy Scot Peterson chose to resign after Israel suspended him without pay.
“Scot Peterson was absolutely on campus through this entire event. He was armed. He was in uniform,” Israel said at a press conference. “
After seeing video, witness statements and Scot Peterson’s very own statement, I decided this morning to suspend [him] without pay pending an internal investigation,” he continued.
Israel said Peterson chose to resign as he had met the necessary requirements for retirement. The sheriff noted that the investigation would continue.
“We’re not going to disclose the video at this time, and we may never disclose the video, depending on the prosecution and the criminal case,” Israel said. “But what I saw was a deputy arrive at the west side of building 12, take up a position — and he never went in.”
When asked by a reporter what Peterson should have done, Israel said the deputy should have “went in, addressed the killer, killed the killer.”
Israel said the video made him “sick to [his] stomach” and left him feeling “devastated.”
“There are no words,” he said.
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Sheriff: Armed officer at Florida school stood outside building and did "nothing" during shooting https://t.co/NGz1Zth8PO pic.twitter.com/E3ibuS27bL
— The Hill (@thehill) February 22, 2018
Sheriff Scott Israel said Officer Scott Peterson failed by waiting outside the Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS building for about 4 of 6 minutes while Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people
What should Peterson have done
Israel: “Went in. Addressed the killer. Killed the killer” pic.twitter.com/GxIMS1sPxf
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) February 22, 2018
I'm amazed at the number of people who are excusing the apparent failure of the SRO to engage the shooter because the shooter was armed with the allegedly almighty AR-15. That SRO's job is to fight and — if necessary — die for those kids. Heartbreaking. Infuriating.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) February 22, 2018
Wait a second. So it's okay for kids and pundits alike to say that GOP politicians are essentially accomplices to mass slaughter and the moral equivalent of mass murderers, but we have no right to judge an armed officer who stood idly by while kids were literally murdered? https://t.co/ogTUNkq3DC
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) February 22, 2018
I understand why people don't like the armed teachers idea. But if I'm a teacher and I have reason to believe the cops won't intervene in a school shooting, I might want to be armed.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) February 22, 2018
For people who think "Good guy with a gun" arguments are dumb will interpret this news as a proof that argument doesn't work.
People who argue you can't rely on the gov't to protect you, will see this news as vindication.
In other words, people confirmation bias will win.
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) February 22, 2018
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