Florida Troopers Take Up Positions At Marjory Stoneman Douglas

PARKLAND, FL — A contingent of Florida Highway Patrol officers took up positions around Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Thursday just days after a Broward Sheriff's deputy was allegedly found sleeping in his patrol car outside the school. Florida Gov. Rick Scott offered to send in the troopers after ordering that every point of entry be secured whenever students are at the school. The brother of accused gunman Nikolas Cruz was discovered skateboarding around campus on the same day that the incident involving the deputy took place.

"In response to Governor Scott’s offer for assistance, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office spoke with Florida Highway Patrol Director Colonel Gene Spaulding and requested eight FHP troopers to help secure entry points at Marjory Stoneman Douglas," Scott's office confirmed.

A student alerted a Broward sergeant to the sleeping deputy just steps away from Building 12 where the murderous Valentine's Day rampage took place. Deputy Moises Carotti was suspended with pay pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation. Seventeen students and faculty members were killed in the attack on the school and students have been on edge ever since the school reopened.

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.

"The sergeant responded to the marked patrol vehicle, which was parked on the northwest corner of the 1200 building," the Broward Sheriff's Office 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.

Scott made the offer to send troopers in a letter to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel and School Superintendent Robert Runcie on Tuesday.

"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 the 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.

FHP troopers have joined the contingent of law enforcement officers protecting Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Photo by Paul Scicchitano