Parkland victim’s father demands sheriff resign over response to shooting

The father of a student murdered in February’s shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., is calling on Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel to resign over his department’s response to the shooting.

Fred Guttenberg wrote that the officers stationed near Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were “not capable” of protecting the school or surrounding areas from gun violence.

“My daughter and 16 others died because of your decision. You need to resign,” Guttenberg wrote on Twitter.{mosads}

“The hearings were very clear as was your testimony last week. You made the decision to put a team in Parkland that was not capable of protecting Parkland,” he wrote.

Seventeen people, including students and faculty, were killed when a gunman entered the building.

Guttenberg’s statement comes after Israel placed one deputy on administrative duty. One captain in charge of the Parkland unit resigned over criticism of the department’s response to the shooting.

A state panel last week denounced the disciplined officer, who was stationed near the school, for failing to act after hearing gunshots. The panel also found that six other officers heard gunshots but failed to enter the school and stop the shooter, according to the Florida Sun Sentinel.

Israel told the newspaper that he will not resign, and will remain in office until his constituents vote otherwise.

“I have done nothing wrong that would warrant me to leave office. I’m committed to the Broward Sheriff’s Office and to the citizens who put me in office,” Israel told the Sun Sentinel.

He said he would remain at work “as long as the citizens want me to.”