Video shows deputy stood outside during massacre
School resource officer’s actions face intense scrutiny.
The Broward County Sher- iff ’s Office released video footage Thursday that showed the armed school resource officer on campus during the Parkland, Florida, 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 gunfire have 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, calls into question Peterson’s statement and actions. The video captured him hurrying across the campus as the massacre was unfolding and then — while, police said, the shooting con- tinued — standing outside for several minutes without seeming to take cover.
An attorney for Peterson did not respond to a message seeking comment Thursday.
In part of t he footage released Thursday, Peterson is obscured by a pole, but other portions of the record- ing show him standing still. responded to the school but
The video footage does not remained outside, while the include sound, but the sher- Florida Department of Law iff ’s office last week released Enforcement is reviewing the dispatch recordings that cappolice response to the shoottured some of what Peterson ing. A state panel approved said during the massacre. by lawmakers is also going to These audio recordings show review the law enforcement that Peterson quickly zeroed response to the shooting and in on the building where the prior contacts that officials had massacre occurred — somewith the suspected gunman, thing backed up by the video, who had repeatedly come to which shows him arriving at the attention of police and the structure two minutes the FBI before the massacre. after the gunfire began — The week after the shootand then seemingly focusing, Israel assailed Peterson ing on the building in what for his response, describing he reported over the radio. the video recording as show
“We’re talking about the ing the deputy heading to the 1200 building,” Peterson said building, taking up a position at one point, according to outside and then failing to the audio recordings. When rush in to confront the gunanother officer later said some man, breaking with generstudents had reported possi- ally accepted police practice. ble firecrackers by the footIsrael said that after being ball field, Peterson replied: suspended, Peterson opted “We also heard it’s by, inside to resign, filing his retirement the 1200 building.” paperwork that day. Peterson,
Around the same time, through an attorney, pushed the video recording showed back at Israel’s depictions of him remaining outside that his actions, though he has not building. commented publicly since.
“The video speaks for After Israel publicly itself,” the sheriff ’s office said described the video footage in a statement. “His actions of Peterson, media outlets were enough to warrant an filed a lawsuit seeking to have internal affairs investigation, county officials release the as requested by Sheriff Scott clips. Authorities sought to Israel on Feb. 21. After being argue that releasing the vidsuspended without pay, Petereos would hurt the ongoing son chose to resign and imme- investigation, while school offidiately retired rather than face cials said releasing the footage possible termination.” could reveal vulnerabilities
The statement added that in the security system. The the sheriff ’s office was unable sheriff ’s office, meanwhile, to discuss more about the ultimately reversed course investigation because of Flor- and said it supported makida law. ing the footage public.
The sheriff ’s office released Broward County Circuit the 27-minute video clip, most Judge Jeffrey Levenson, in of which comes from a station- an eight-page order released ary camera on the Stoneman Monday, said the videos could Douglas campus, after being be released without imperilordered to do so by a judge. ing the school’s security sysIts release comes as the sher- tem or endangering the invesiff ’s office has faced intense tigation into the massacre. scrutiny for its response to Levenson ordered the sherthe Feb. 14 shooting as well as iff ’s office to release a verhow its deputies acted before sion of the video with “the and after the massacre. identities of the students and
The Broward Sheriff ’s Office unknown witnesses” removed is investigating allegations between noon Thursday and that multiple other deputies noon Friday.