17 die in Valentine’s Day massacre at high school in Florida

Teenage suspect arrested after pupils and adults killed in gun rampage

At least 17 people have been killed in a shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

Sheriff Scott Israel of Broward County said the 19-year-old suspect, later identified as Nicholas Cruz, was in custody after Swat teams swarmed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, arresting him without incident off campus.

Cruz was a former pupil who had been expelled.

The sheriff said most of the fatalities were inside the building, although some were found outside.

There were scenes of students running from the building and ambulance crews treating people outside the school.

Broward County Superintendent Robert Runcie said: “There are numerous fatalities. It is a horrific situation.”

The White House cancelled its daily press briefing and President Donald Trump has spoken with Florida governor Rick Scott.

The president tweeted: “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.”

Parent John Obin said his son was in class when he heard several shots.

He said his son told him teachers quickly rushed pupils out of the school.

Coral Springs Police said earlier that the school had been locked down and that pupils and teachers inside should remain barricaded until police reached them.

Television footage showed two people on stretchers and another person being treated on the ground near the school.

Len Murray, whose 17-year-old son attends the school, was stopped by authorities within view of the building.

He said: “I’m scared for the other parents here. You can see the concern in everybody’s faces.

“Everybody is asking: ‘Have you heard from your child yet?’”

In a separate incident in the US yesterday, authorities responded to a shooting outside the National Security Agency campus at Fort Meade, Maryland, where police surrounded a handcuffed man after a vehicle ran into a barrier.

The NSA said weapons were fired and that three people were hurt during the incident, although no injuries appeared to be because of the gunfire.

Pictures: Getty Images. Pupils and staff being led to safety following the shooting attack.

A father and child comfort each other outside the school.