Parkland deputy told cops to stay away after hearing shots inside building

A Broward County sheriff’s deputy who remained outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School while a shooting took place told other deputies to stay away from the building during the incident, according to radio dispatches released Thursday. 

“Do not approach the 12 or 1300 building, stay at least 500 feet away,” Scot Peterson radioed other officers as Nikolas Cruz, the alleged gunman, left the school.

The sheriff’s office released a timeline of its response to the shooting, which showed Peterson also relayed to officers that gunfire was happening inside the school despite publicly claiming that he believed the shots came from outside the building, The Miami Herald reported.

{mosads}Peterson was suspended without pay last month but chose to resign after an internal review found he never entered the high school during the shooting that left 17 dead and several others injured.

Multiple media outlets have sued the sheriff’s office to release video surveillance from outside the school during the shooting. The sheriff’s office tweeted Thursday that it agreed to do so, but must wait for a judge’s order.

BSO agreed in court today with the media that surveillance video from outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High should be released publicly. Legal exemptions block the release unless a judge approves. The judge took it under advisement and we hope for a ruling shortly.

— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) March 8, 2018

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel’s agency has come under scrutiny for its handling of the events leading up to the Feb. 14 shooting. The sheriff’s office revealed it had received multiple tips about Cruz’s behavior prior to the shooting.

Israel has defended his performance, saying he’s given the department “amazing leadership,” and that the entire office should not be judged by the actions of the deputy who did not enter the school.

Florida state lawmakers have asked Gov. Rick Scott (R) to suspend Israel for his department’s handling of the shooting.