“Many Dead”: Mass Shooting At Florida High School Leaves At Least 17 DEAD, Former Student In Custody After Horrific Attack

A former student at a North Broward high school in Florida opened fire at the school Wednesday, killing at least seventeen students and injuring more than a dozen more in what is being described as another horrific mass shooting in America.

While details remain fluid, what has been released so far paints a picture of a horrific attack carried out by a disgruntled former student who police arrested “without incident” shortly after the attack.

The Miami Herald reports:

An American nightmare is unfolding Wednesday afternoon at a North Broward high school after a former student came onto campus and opened fire, killing and injuring more than a dozen people.

Details remain cloudy amid a flurry of police activity at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland off the Sawgrass Expressway. Students, who heard a fire alarm go off just before dismissal, followed by guns shots, fled off campus and hid under desks as police sped to the scene. Parents, blocked from getting onto campus, stood by helpless.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office is reporting “at least 14 victims” and is still working to clear all the buildings at the massive school, home to about 3,200 students. The shooter, a former student identified by law enforcement sources as Nicolas de Jesus Cruz, managed to make it off campus before he was cornered and taken into custody in a townhouse at Pelican Pointe at Wyndham Lakes in Coral Springs.

Robert Runcie, superintendent of Broward Schools, is reporting “numerous fatalities” in the terrifying attack, the latest in America’s troubled history with guns. Many victims have been transported to Broward Health North, as has Cruz. Four others have been taken to Broward Medical Center.

A student at the school who knew the alleged shooter told a local news station that he had actually been shown photos of guns by the shooter who was widely known to be troubled.

“He’s been a troubled kid and has always had a certain amount of issues going on. He shot guns because he felt it gave him I guess — what’s the word I’m looking for — an exhilarating feeling”

“He showed me [his guns] personally through his phone and stuff like that I stayed clear of him most of the time during my time in alternate school I didn’t wanna be with him at all because I didn’t wanna cause any conflict with him because that’s the impression he gave off.”

The Miami Herald also noted the shocking fact that the alleged shooter had been banned from entering the school with a backpack on:

The former student suspected of opening fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland may been identified a potential threat to fellow students in the past, according to one teacher.

The 19-year-old ex-student, who has been detained by Broward police, has not been publicly identified as a suspect. But a law-enforcement source identified him as Nicolas Cruz.

“We were told last year that he wasn’t allowed on campus with a backpack on him,” said math teacher Jim Gard, who said Cruz had been in his class last year. “There were problems with him last year threatening students, and I guess he was asked to leave campus.”

In this day and age, any sort of major news story is usually revealed through social media, with the recent mass shooting being yet another example of this news gathering phenomenon.

This AP photo from the Parkland, Florida shooting is just… pic.twitter.com/dVgQtmw9yk

— Erick Fernandez (@ErickFernandez) February 14, 2018

It is with a heavy heart I must announce that the journos are at it again. pic.twitter.com/EfXnwJJlUz

— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) February 14, 2018

JUST IN (warning, disturbing video): Cell phone video inside the school as shots were going off at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High https://t.co/wHWo6XjccX pic.twitter.com/3ovf5LhzBs

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 14, 2018

UPDATE: “Multiple” deaths at South Florida high school shooting, mayor says. https://t.co/3ImxE9YdHa pic.twitter.com/LH1g5hq0Hd

— Sun Sentinel (@SunSentinel) February 14, 2018

MORE: Male in red shirt appears to be handcuffed and apprehended by police officers in Parkland, Florida, following shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School https://t.co/1Y5NBGZMdE pic.twitter.com/EmZdGiSPIP

— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 14, 2018

My prayers and condolences to the families of the victims of the terrible Florida shooting. No child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2018

Stay tuned as more information is sure to be released in the coming hours and days.

The big question so far is how was the alleged shooter even able to make it back on campus when he was well known to be a troubled kid with access to weapons?