Deputy Accused Of Sleeping Outside Scene Of School Massacre

PARKLAND, FL — A Broward Sheriff's deputy was suspended on Tuesday after a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student complained that the officer was sleeping in his patrol car steps away from the building where the murderous rampage took place on Valentine's Day. Deputy Moises Carotti was suspended with pay pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation. He was stationed outside Building 12, which is where 17 students and faculty members were killed.

Meanwhile, deputies also arrested two Stoneman Douglas students — a girl and a boy — in separate, unrelated incidents for bringing knives to the school. A third Stoneman Douglas student was arrested over a threatening post he allegedly made on social media.

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The Broward Sheriff's Office said that a sergeant received the tip about the sleeping deputy around 5 p.m. on Monday. It was less than an hour after the accused gunman's brother was found skateboarding around the Stoneman Douglas campus and arrested for trespassing.

"The sergeant responded to the marked patrol vehicle, which was parked on the northwest corner of the 1200 building," officials said. "He knocked on the window to get Carotti’s attention, who appeared to be sleeping."

Officials said that the sergeant notified his command and another deputy was sent to replace Carotti at the north perimeter of the 1200 building.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott sent a letter to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel and School Superintendent Robert Runcie on Tuesday ordering that every point of entry to Marjory Stoneman Douglas be secured whenever students are at the school.

"Parents, students and teachers have recently endured one of the worst tragedies in Florida history. They must be assured that every necessary step is being taken to increase safety and ensure no unauthorized people are allowed on campus," Scott said in the letter.

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio was outraged to learn that a deputy had allegedly fallen asleep guarding the same children who were traumatized by the worst school shooting since a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

“Of all the schools in America, you would think this would be the safest one right now," the senator said. "This is so outrageous it’s almost impossible to believe.”

Former Broward Deputy and school resource officer Scot Peterson retired in the days following the shooting after Israel accused him of standing outside Building 12 for four of the six minutes the shooter unloaded his AR-15 assault rifle and doing "nothing." The sheriff said that the deputy should have charged into the building and killed the shooter. President Trump would say the deputy was a coward.

"Today, I am requesting that immediate action be taken to require an armed law enforcement officer to secure every point of entry at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School while students are on campus," the Florida governor said in his letter on Tuesday. "To help with this goal, the state is willing to provide assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol, until a more permanent safety plan can be put into place."

A memorial grows outside Building 12 in honor of the 17 victims of the Florida school shooting. Photo by Paul Scicchitano