An armed officer who stood outside a Florida school as a gunman killed 17 people has been arrested and faces multiple charges, including child neglect and perjury.
Scot Peterson, a security guard at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, did not enter as shots rang out last year and later resigned.
[…]
Soon afterwards, authorities release footage showing Mr Peterson waiting outside the school as the shooting was taking place.
Following an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Mr Peterson was arrested on Tuesday on seven counts of neglect of a child, three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury.
The investigation showed Mr Peterson “did absolutely nothing” to prevent the shooting, FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said in a statement.
“There can be no excuse for his complete inaction and no question that his inaction cost lives,” he added.
I don’t see how they will get a conviction. If he was by himself, there is no expectation to go and get himself killed. At least legally.
And from the accounts I saw, at least he was helping coordinate the response.
As far as the perjury charge, I don’t know about that.
Sounds like they are looking for a scare goat.
Scape goat
The liberals in charge should be locked up.
Why?
The liberal Law enforcement in charge failed to execute the duty of care in taking this gunman down.
It was total liberal law enforcement perversion.
What source do you have that says the folks in charge of that PD were liberals. FL isn’t a particularly liberal state, nor is law enforcement in general. Are you making things up again?
I disagree with this. The guy might have been a coward, and he might deserve our displeasure and ire for his inaction… but this would set a dangerous precedent and countless new frivolous lawsuits.
No, Jason; we PAY law enforcement to defend us from predators, not to hide behind garbage bins. He wouldn’t even go inside the damn building, not to mention unholster and pursue.
Any LEO who agrees that sitting by is the right strategy should give up his gunbelt, taser, and vest and become a meter-maid, which is what they really are.
LeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeRoy, that Sheriff was a New Yawk transplant who proudly sat on stage with every (D) pol in Florida. Not surprising, given the political lean of Broward County.
But you know that because you have several college degrees, right?
Dad, 1 cop just doesn’t run into a shooting incident by himself. A dead or injured cop doesn’t do anybody any good. They need back up, they need to gather some intelligence.
And Jason is right, it sets a very dangerous precedent. If a cop who is doing speed enforcement and a car passes the cop 3 mph and the cop doesn’t pull him over, what happens if the driver gets into a crash a few minutes later. Is the cop going to be charged in the death for negligence?
>No, Jason; we PAY law enforcement to defend us from predators, not to hide behind garbage bins.
I agree with that… and I agree we should STOP paying this person. However, bringing criminal charges against him are taking things too far, in my opinion. Civil trials? I might be ok with that, but I think it would be a waste of the courts time, bordering on frivolous.
He was a Sro If the school claims “in loco parentis” authority that creates responsibilities, specifically to act as a parent. Don’t want to act like a parent? Then give up the status.
Mar this lump of crap did nothing. Not Intel not recon. He hid. You seem to think that a cop is so dumb that he would get killed by walking into the building. Really? He was negligent just as alleged. Even taking one good shot at the perp would disorient him. And in this case a dead cop would be a hero.
Summary: he should go to prison.
@daddio. It will be surprising to see conviction on any of the charges except the perjury charge. There is much legal precedent that goes against the common assumption that cops are legally bound to protect citizens. Dereliction of duty here is administrative, not legal.
The perjury is solid, though, as his sworn testimony is directly contradicted by his own radio transmission. Perhaps that will cost him a year or two and, hopefully, his six-figure pension.
Since Columbine law enforcement training on active shooter incidents is that you go in as soon as possible because every shot you hear is another person injured or killed. Law enforcement goes in with the intent of stopping the shooter, either by shooting him or isolating him, as many shooters will either retreat and kill themselves or give up once confronted with armed resistance.
The school resource officer also has an advantage because he is intimately familiar with the layout of the building and training in how to search for the shooter. By virtue of his assignment to the school he has a special relationship to the people in that school, which means that he does have a duty to protect the people at the school.