Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
School shooting cop: I am not a coward...i was in tactical position
A POLICEMAN branded a coward by Donald Trump for not tackling the Florida school gunman has insisted he did everything by the book.
Scot Peterson claimed he believed the shooting was coming from outside the building and he “took up a tactical position” to assess the situation. His lawyer Joseph Diruzzo said the armed officer rushed towards the school when he heard gunfire.
He insisted Peterson’s action were consistent with his training.
Mr Diruzzo added: “Mr Peterson wishes he could have prevented the passing of the 17 victims. His heart goes out to the families of the victims.
“However, allegations that Mr Peterson was a coward and his performance failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue.
“He is confident his actions were appropriate. The sheriff ’s office trains officers that, in the event of outdoor gunfire, to seek cover and assess the situation in order to communicate to other law enforcement.”
The statement came after Mr Trump criticised the officer for
PETERSON’S LAWYER
not going into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland as former student Nikolas Cruz, 19, killed 14 students and three staff inside. The US President said: “When it came time to get in there, he didn’t have the courage.”
Mr Peterson last week quit after Sheriff Scott Israel publicly laid into him, declaring: “He never went in. I am sick to my stomach.”