FBI in the dock after ignoring gunman’s threats
GUN-OBSESSED Nikolas Cruz warned of his ambition to become ‘a professional school shooter’ but authorities failed to stop him, it was claimed last night.
The disturbed loner’s message was reported to FBI officials five months before he allegedly opened fire on his former classmates on Valentine’s Day, killing 17 in the deadliest shooting at a US school since 2012.
It was one of a catalogue of warning signs apparently missed about the 19year-old, who had been expelled from the school after reports he had threatened students.
As the FBI launched an ‘ extensive’ review of its handling of the tip-off, it also emerged police were repeatedly called to Cruz’s house after neighbours complained about harassment, and he was treated at a mental health clinic.
The disturbing message left on social media – in Cruz’s full name – read: ‘Im [sic] going to be a professional school shooter.’
FBI agents said an investigation had been unable to identify the person who posted it. Crucially, the information was not shared with local police or school authorities.
Cruz was still allowed to legally purchase a powerful AR-15 semiautomatic rifle – the gun used in a horrifying series of mass shootings in the US.
He appeared in court last night wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, and with his hands and ankles in shackles.
He did not speak, other than to reply, ‘Yes ma’am’, to the judge when she gave his name. He was remanded in custody, where he was said to be on suicide watch.
The suspect, who was arrested on a nearby street by a passing police officer, was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder – and could receive death penalty if he is convicted.
The motivation for the killings remained unknown, although Cruz was said to have been obsessed with an ex-girlfriend and depressed after his adopted mother’s death from pneumonia in November.
The leader of a white nationalist group called Republic of Florida confirmed Cruz had begun attending its training exercises. The group, which describes itself as a ‘white civil rights organization’ that seeks to create a ‘white ethnostate’ in Florida, denied it had ordered the attack, and said it was not a terrorist classmates organisation. and teachers Former at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where the shooting happened, told of a pattern of erratic and disturbing behaviour by Cruz.
He was expelled from the school last year and maths teacher Jim Gard said it had followed ‘ problems with him threatening students’.
He had been banned from taking a backpack onto the campus after reports he had taken knives and bullets into the school.
Former classmates said he was obsessed with weapons and shooting, and his social media pages were full of pictures of him posing with guns and knives. Joshua Charo, 16, said: ‘All he would talk about is guns, knives and hunting.’ Dakota Mutchler, also 17, said he had been friends with Cruz but became concerned about his behaviour.
He said: ‘He started progressively getting a little more weird … He started going after one of my friends, threatening her, and I cut him off from there.’
Neighbours said he was known to shoot at chickens and often talked about killing lizards, squirrels and frogs.
Police said they had begun going through Cruz’s social media and had found posts which were ‘very, very disturbing’.
Cruz was adopted as a young child, with his brother Zachary, and his adopted father died of a heart attack several years ago.
His adopted mother Lynda died from pneumonia in November and he was taken in by a family friend, but then asked to live with a friend’s family.
The family agreed and knew he owned the AR-15 but insisted it was kept in a cabinet. They are cooperating with police.
Cruz’s lawyer Melisa McNeill said his court appearance that he was a ‘broken human being’ who felt remorse.
‘All he would talk about was guns’