A Florida sheriff’s deputy at the scene of the Parkland school shooting is on trial over whether he failed to take action and prevent the deaths of six of the 17 people killed in the 2018 massacre.
“He was not a coward,” Eiglarsh said, and “did everything he possibly could with the limited information had.” Peterson, dressed in a blue suit and red tie, sat at the defence 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.
Prosecutors did not charge Peterson in connection with the 11 killed and 13 wounded before he arrived at the building. Peterson, who wasn’t wearing a bullet-resistant vest, didn’t open the door, standing there for 27 seconds, Klinger said. He then took cover 75 feet away in the alcove of a neighbouring building, his gun still drawn.
Outside, Peterson radioed arriving deputies to stay clear of the building. He said he didn’t notice when bullets smashed into a second-floor window about 70 feet from where he stood.