School Video Shows Deputy's Actions During Parkland Rampage

PARKLAND, FL — The Broward Sheriff's Office on Thursday released video of former Deputy Scot Peterson's actions during the horrific Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The release followed a court ruling earlier this week that allowed school surveillance footage from outdoor cameras to be released to the public.

Peterson's actions during the shooting have come under mounting scrutiny. Broward Sheriff Scott Israel has said that Peterson, a school resource officer, stood outside Building 12 for four of the six minutes the shooter unloaded his AR-15 assault rifle and did "nothing." The sheriff said that Peterson was armed and in uniform at the time.

Israel said that the deputy should have charged into the building and killed the shooter. President Trump would say the deputy was a coward.

"The video speaks for itself. His actions were enough to warrant an internal affairs investigation, as requested by Sheriff Scott Israel on Feb. 21," the sheriff's office said in releasing the video on Thursday. "After being suspended without pay, Peterson chose to resign and immediately retired rather than face possible termination."

The sheriff's office said that it was prohibited from discussing any details of its internal affairs investigation into Peterson's actions until the case is concluded.

"Let there be no mistake, Mr. Peterson wishes that he could have prevented the untimely passing of
the 17 victims on that day, and his heart goes out to the families of the victims in their time of need. However, the allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue," according to a statement released through Fort Lauderdale attorney Joseph A. DiRuzzo, III, who is representing Peterson.

"Mr. Peterson is confident that his actions on that day were appropriate under the circumstances and that the video (together with the eyewitness testimony of those on the scene) will exonerate him of any sub-par performance," the statement said.

Video courtesy Broward Sheriff's Office. Photo by Paul Scicchitano.