Florida High School Shooting Fuels Gun Protest

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Emotions ran high on Saturday as around 1,000 Floridians led by survivors of the Florida school massacre demanded action on gun-control. The rally was fueled by growing frustration over the Valentine's Day attack that left 17 dead and numerous others wounded at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School about 30 minutes north of the city. Expelled student Nikolas Cruz purchased his alleged murder weapon legally despite a history of contacts with authorities and bizarre behavior.

Meanwhile, the Florida agency responsible for protecting vulnerable adults will be in court on Monday seeking to release records related to Cruz. The records stem from contacts the agency had with Cruz as an adult back in 2016. In Florida, this responsibility falls under the Adult Protective Services division of the Department of Children and Families or DCF.

"A court must order their release," the agency's Jessica K. Sims told Patch on Saturday. "Upon learning that we were in possession of records involving [Nikolas Cruz] as an adult, DCF immediately started the process to ask a court to allow the release of all records in the spirit of full transparency."

Agency Secretary Mike Carroll said that officials reviewed the documents ahead of the judge's ruling. The Sun Sentinel reported that Cruz cut his arms on Snapchat and said he wanted to buy a gun in September 2016. The incident prompted an investigation by Broward County sheriff's deputies and investigators from the Department of Children and Family Services four days after Cruz's 18th birthday.

"Mental health services and supports were in place when this investigation closed," Carroll explained. "We look forward to Monday’s hearing, where we will ask that these records are released so the public can have access to this important information."

The crowd on Saturday chanted: “Vote them out!” and held signs calling for action. Some read: “#Never Again,” ″#Do something now” and “Don’t Let My Friends Die.”

Student Emma Gonzalez of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School told the crowd politicians should stop taking donations from the National Rifle Association. “Shame on you,” she yelled, and the crowd repeated her.

“A lot of people are saying that these kids are activists, these kids need to be politicians,” she explained. “But a lot of us are just other students who figured there’s strength in numbers. And we want to be sure that we end up having our message sent across. And then we can get back to our normal everyday lives, you know.”

The Associated Press contributed to thei report.

Helena Moreno, center, yells during a protest against guns on the steps of the Broward County Federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson.