The 2018 active school shooting case in Parkland regarding the alleged inaction of Resource Officer Scot Peterson has reached its final verdict, absolving him from all counts of felony child neglect and culpable negligence on Tuesday, after 4-days of deliberation. Victims of the family were disappointed with the results of the trial but remained steadfast about Scot Peterson’s failure to protect the lives of 17 individuals.
The first U.S. law enforcement officer to face criminal charges due to alleged inaction is Scot Peterson during an active school shooting on February 14, 2018, in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Seventeen individuals were found dead in the mass shooting, Specifically, 14 students and three members of the school staff died during the active shooting committed by Nikkolas Cruz
Former Parkland school’s Resource Officer absolved from all counts
According to Fox News, Peterson was facing seven counts of felony child neglect, three counts of misdemeanor culpable negligence for all three adults’ deaths as well as one count of perjury for allegedly lying to detectives. During the trial, students, teachers, and a sheriff’s deputy were asked and testified as to where the initial shots were coming from. Peterson’s attorney, Mark Eiglarsh claims that his client couldn’t determine the shooting’s location as well as how many shooters were present therefore his client only responded by issuing a school-wide “code red”
Disappointment is evident
Following the acquittal of Peterson on all charges, Harold F. Pryor, Broward State Attorney, talked about how parents expect that all armed school resource officers under contract to the school will do their jobs when entrusting their children to them and the schools they guard. They have special roles and responsibilities that exceed the normal role and responsibilities of a simple police officer. Therefore they should act accordingly as they are responsible for all the children once school classes start.
The victims’ family also shared their steadfast sentiments regarding this case:
“Nothing in today’s verdict absolves Scot Peterson of his failures on February 14, 2018,” said Ryan Petty, father of Alaina, who died in the shooting through Fox News Digital.
Petty also added, “He will have to live with his failures for the rest of his life.”
In an interview with Fox News, Hunter Pollack, Meadow’s brother, one of the victims, states that the verdict is “disappointing, but it’s not shocking to me, following the verdict on the shooter Cruz. But although there wasn’t justice in the courtroom today, the public humiliation of cowering out and the fact that he has to live with the decision he made is a punishment in my eyes,”
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