CNN finds almost twice as many calls about alleged shooter’s family than sheriff reported

Broward County Sheriff’s Office received nearly twice as many calls about accused school shooter Nikolas Cruz or his brother between 2008 and 2017 than the law enforcement office has previously claimed, according to a CNN report.

According to CNN, the office received at least 45 calls relating to Cruz, 19, or his brother in that time period. The sheriff’s office has insisted it received no more than 23 calls. 

CNN, earlier this month, reported that a Broward County Sheriff’s Office log showed that there were 39 calls from Cruz’s house over a six-year period. After further review of the logs, however, CNN says it has found that the sheriff’s office received 45 calls between 2008 and 2017. The records list calls from the home owned by Cruz’s mother during that time.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel has said that his office “has been involved in 23 type calls involving the killer in some way, shape or form — or his brother.”

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The office had previously denied that it received 39 calls. 

“Since 2008, BSO responded to 23 incidents where previous contact was made with the killer or his family,” the Broward County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “STOP REPORTING 39; IT’S SIMPLY NOT TRUE.”

Cruz is accused of carrying out a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School earlier this month that left 17 people dead and 14 others injured.

According to CNN, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office received 19 calls about Cruz starting when he was around 9 years old. Another 25 calls related to Cruz’s younger brother Zachary. Another call was placed, but it’s not clear whom it referred to.

The FBI acknowledged in the days after the Feb. 14 shooting that it had received a call to its tip line from a person close to Cruz expressing concern about his gun ownership, desire to kill and erratic behavior and warning that he could possibly carry out a school shooting.

The FBI said it did not investigate the tip further or pass the information on to its Miami field office.