The Broward County Sheriff’s Office released video footage Thursday that showed the armed school resource officer on campus during the Parkland, Fla., shooting rampage standing outside a school building while the massacre unfolded inside.
The video raises further questions about the actions of the officer, Scot Peterson, who was a Broward sheriff’s deputy assigned as the lone armed officer protecting Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Peterson’s behavior during and after the Feb. 14 mass shooting has become the focus of intense scrutiny, with Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel assailing him for not rushing inside to confront the gunman.
Peterson, who resigned after being suspended and is under investigation over his actions, has defended his response to the shooting by arguing that he believed the gunfire was coming from outside, rather than inside, a school building. Because of that, he said, he “took up a tactical position” to try to assess the situation.
The video footage, along with audio dispatch records released last week, shed new light on Peterson’s actions outside the school. The video released Thursday, one of many recordings taken on campus the day of the shooting, captured Peterson hurrying across the campus as the massacre was unfolding and then — while, police said, the shooting continued — standing outside for several minutes without seeming to take cover.
An attorney for Peterson did not respond to a message seeking comment Thursday. The sheriff’s office, meanwhile, said the footage backed up Israel’s public statements about Peterson.
“The video speaks for itself,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “His actions were enough to warrant an internal affairs investigation, as requested by Sheriff Scott Israel on Feb. 21. After being suspended without pay, Peterson chose to resign and immediately retired rather than face possible termination.”
The Washington Post rag missed the more pressing question. Where was the sergeant and lieutenant during this shooting? Douglas High is located in Parkland, which is patrolled by BSO. The station in no more than 2 miles from the school. I want to know who came up on the radio, took command and directed this fiasco. The policy clearly dictates deputies to respond and close with the shooter. A sergeant should have taken command, spoken to Peterson over the radio and directed him to engage the shooter.
I suspect that the sergeant and those three deputies arrived on scene in 1 to 2 minutes. Did anyone request a helicopter? BSO has tactical and med-evac choppers. Did anyone request backup from Deerfield and Pompano Beach districts, which are adjacent to Parkland?
I could go on but you get my point. Why is a school resource deputy running the operation for so long? He was a coward. He buckled and there was no sergeant to make it work.
Shameful! Dereliction of duty! But the NRA was blamed by the Sherriff and the liberal indoctrinated students and the whole Democratic party!