Former Deputy Scot Peterson Exonerated in Parkland School Shooting Inaction Case

Scot Peterson, a former deputy sheriff from Broward County, Florida, was cleared of all charges on Thursday related to child neglect and other allegations for his inaction during the tragic 2018 Parkland school shooting. This case marked the first instance in the U.S. where a law enforcement officer stood trial for their behavior during an on-campus shooting.

After an intense four-day deliberation spanning 19 hours, the jury returned their verdict, moving Peterson to tears. Following the court’s adjournment, Peterson, along with family and friends, embraced in a celebratory group hug, amidst cries and cheers of relief.

As Peterson left the court, he said, “I got my life back. We’ve got our life back.” He was thankful to his lawyer, Mark Eiglarsh, for standing by his side during the emotionally draining trial and emphasized that the victims of the tragedy should never be forgotten. Peterson put the blame squarely on the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, maintaining that all law enforcement on the scene had acted to the best of their abilities given the information available at the time.

Peterson faced charges for not confronting Cruz during his deadly six-minute rampage in a three-story 1200 classroom building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018, which claimed 17 lives. If convicted, Peterson risked nearly 100 years in prison and potentially losing his annual pension of $104,000.

During the trial, the prosecution presented students, teachers, and law enforcement officers who detailed their horrific experiences and awareness of Cruz’s location. A training supervisor also testified that Peterson had not adhered to the protocols for dealing with an active shooter. Conversely, Peterson’s defense lawyer highlighted the failure of the sheriff’s radio system during the shooting, which restricted the information Peterson received. Several deputies and school members testified that they were uncertain of the shooter’s location due to echoing sounds.

Following the verdict, Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor issued a statement insisting on the accountability of armed school resource officers and refuting attempts to politicize the issue.

Family members of some victims, however, expressed their disinterest in engaging with Peterson. Tony Montalto, whose daughter Gina died in the shooting, responded curtly to the prospect of dialogue with Peterson, expressing his deep-felt loss and bitterness.

Security footage from the incident showed Peterson had withdrawn about 100 yards away from the 1200 building and took shelter in an alcove of an adjacent building without opening the door to confront Cruz. He remained there for 40 minutes after the shooting ended and other officers had already entered the building.

Peterson, who dedicated nearly three decades of his career to school service, retired after the shooting incident and was subsequently dismissed from his role retroactively.

Meanwhile, the jury was unable to unanimously agree on a death penalty for Cruz, the 24-year-old former student who carried out the attack. Consequently, Cruz received a life sentence.

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More about Scot Peterson Acquittal

• Parkland school shooting (Wikipedia)
• Scot Peterson (Wikipedia)
• Broward County Sheriff’s Office (Official Website)
• Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Wikipedia)