Prosecutor: Deputy could have stopped Parkland school shooting but chose to take cover

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — — A Florida sheriff's deputy at the scene of theis on trial over whether he failed to take action and prevent the deaths of six of the 17 people killed in the 2018 massacre.

Peterson had undergone training where he was told that he needs to go toward the gunshots if there's an active shooter, because each bullet fired is potentially another death, Prosecutor Steven Klinger said.Peterson’s attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, said the deputy committed no crime and that he didn't know where the gunfire were coming from. Peterson has insisted he would have confronted Cruz but thought the shots came from a sniper, perhaps firing from nearby trees.

Peterson, dressed in a blue suit and red tie, sat at the defense table, sometimes taking notes. A deputy for 32 years, he'd been at Stoneman Douglas for nine years, after 19 years at other schools. He retired shortly after the shooting, then was fired retroactively.for four students killed and three wounded on the third floor of a classroom building. Peterson arrived at the building with his gun drawn 73 seconds before Cruz reached the third floor.

Security videos show that 36 seconds after the attack began, Peterson exited his office about 100 yards from the school's 1200 building and jumped into a cart with two unarmed civilian security guards. They arrived at the building a minute later. The shooting “was so loud and so close. I thought it was probably outside,” Peterson told investigators two days after the massacre. He said he heard “two, three” shots — that's the basis of the perjury charge. The security guards told investigators they heard many more shots and it was clear they came from the building. Eiglarsh says he'll call 22 witnesses who also thought the shots came from outside the building.

Peterson didn’t leave his spot for about 40 minutes — about 35 minutes after the shooting had stopped.

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