FBI had received tip about shooting suspect
Killings ‘tragic consequence’ of missteps by the agency, attorney general says
PARKLAND, FLA.— The FBI received a tip last month that the suspect in the Florida school shooting had a “desire to kill” and access to guns and could be plotting an attack, but agents failed to investigate, the agency said Friday. Florida Gov. Rick Scott called for the FBI director to resign because of the agency’s failure.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the shooting that killed 17 people Wednesday was a “tragic consequence” of the FBI’s missteps and ordered a review of the U.S. Justice Department’s processes. He said it’s now clear that the nation’s premier law enforcement agency missed warning signs.
A person who was close to Nikolas Cruz called the FBI’s tip line on Jan. 5 and provided information about Cruz’s weapons and his erratic behaviour, including his disturbing social media posts. The caller was concerned that Cruz could attack a school.
In a statement, the agency acknowledged that the tip should have been shared with the FBI’s Miami office and investigated, but it was not. The startling admission came as the agency was already facing criticism for its treatment of a tip about a YouTube comment posted last year. The comment posted by a “Nikolas Cruz” said, “Im going to be a professional school shooter.”
The FBI investigated the remark but did not determine who made it.
The 19-year-old Cruz has been charged with killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, north of Miami.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency was still reviewing its missteps on the January tip. He said he was “committed to getting to the bottom of what happened,” as well as assessing the way the FBI responds to information from the public.
“We have spoken with victims and families and deeply regret the addi- tional pain this causes all those affected by this horrific tragedy,” Wray said in the statement.
Scott on Friday sharply criticized the federal law enforcement agency, calling the FBI’s failure to take action “unacceptable.”
“Seventeen innocent people are dead and acknowledging a mistake isn’t going to cut it,” the governor said. “. . . The families will spend a lifetime wondering how this could happen and an apology will never give them the answers they desperately need.”
The FBI is already under intense scrutiny for its actions in the early stages of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign. President Donald Trump and some congressional Republicans have seized on what they see as signs of anti-Trump bias.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived by motorcade at Broward Health North Hospital to thank medical professionals who helped the wounded, coming faceto-face with first responders in the deadly assault.
Some of the parents, survivors and others affected by the tragedy have angrily called for firm action to prevent future assaults.
“I don’t want Trump to come but we want more gun safety,” said 18year-old Kevin Trejos, a senior at the school.
The president made the trip to meet with first responders shortly after Air Force One arrived in West Palm Beach for the president to spend the weekend at his Palm Beach estate, about 65 kilometres from Parkland.
Also Friday, mourners gathered for the first funeral for a shooting victim, packing the Star of David chapel to remember Alyssa Alhadeff, 14.