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U.S. NEWS Thursday 8 March 2018

School shooting suspect indicted on 17 counts of murder

By CURT ANDERSON along with Rocxanne Des-
Associated Press champs, who took in both
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) teens after their mother
— Florida school shooting died in November. Cruz
suspect Nikolas Cruz was lived with Deschamps only
formally charged Wednes- briefly before moving in
day with 17 counts of first- with the Sneads.
degree murder, which In Tallahassee, the Florida
could mean a death sen- House was expected to
tence if he is convicted. vote on gun legislation
The indictment returned stemming from the school
by a grand jury in Fort Lau- shooting. The legislation
derdale also charges the would put some restrictions
19-year-old with 17 counts on rifle sales, provide new
of attempted murder for mental health programs
the Valentine's Day mas- for schools and improve
sacre at Marjory Stoneman communication between
Douglas High School in school districts, law en-
Parkland in which 17 peo- forcement and state agen-
ple died and more than a cies. On Tuesday, Demo-
dozen others were wound- crats failed to strip the bill
ed. of language that would
Cruz's public defender has create a program to arm
said he will plead guilty if some teachers and school
prosecutors take the death Nikolas Cruz, accused of murdering 17 people in the Florida high school shooting, appears in employees who complete
penalty off the table, which court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Cruz was formally charged Wednesday, March 7, with 17 counts of law enforcement training.
would mean a life prison first-degree murder, which could mean a death sentence if he is convicted. Two parents who lost chil-
sentence. Prosecutors (Mike Stocker/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/AP) dren in the Stoneman
have 45 days to decide Douglas shooting told re-
whether they want to seek the Broward Sheriff's Office with his visitors. Investigators and psychia- porters that all the victims'
the death penalty. show Cruz was being held The report said Cruz "of- trists also have visited Cruz families want the legislation
James and Kimberly in solitary confinement. Of- ten sits with a blank stare," in his single-person cell in to succeed. DeVos said
Snead, the couple who ficers described Cruz as asked for a Bible to read the jail's infirmary, where of- she spoke with students
gave Cruz a home after his avoiding eye contact with and appeared to be "smil- ficers note his activities ev- who lit up when talking
mother died late last year, deputies but also being co- ing and giggling" during ery 15 minutes. about the therapy dogs
testified before the grand operative and engaged one visit with his attorneys. His brother visited him twice, brought to campus.q
jury. James Snead and
the couple's attorney, Jim Missouri:
Lewis, wore silver "17" pins
to honor the victims of the Officer killed, 2 wounded responding to 911 call
shooting.
The couple is "trying to
do the right thing" and is By H. HOLLINGSWORTH background. trol said. tober 2012 and May 2014
The Associated Press
mourning along with the The patrol said shots were A SWAT team entered through last July, accord-
rest of the Parkland com- KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — fired at the Clinton officers the home at 12:10 a.m. ing to Missouri Department
munity, Lewis said. A man with an extensive soon after they arrived Wednesday and found the of Corrections spokesman
"We'll let justice take its criminal history shot and at the home around 9:20 suspect, 37-year-old James Garry Brix.
course at this point," Lewis killed a police officer and p.m. Tuesday. Clinton, with Waters, of Clinton, dead. Waters was charged in No-
said. "They still don't know wounded two others who about 8,800 residents, is Stosberg said the cause of vember in Missouri's Cass
what happened, why this were checking on a distur- about 70 miles (110 kilome- the suspect's death is un- County with unlawful pos-
happened. They don't bance at a Missouri home, ters) east of Kansas City. der investigation. A woman session of a firearm and
have any answers. They authorities said Wednes- Officer Christopher Ryan who was at the home was drug possession, court re-
feel very badly for every- day. Morton, a 30-year-old who taken into custody. cords show. He pleaded
body." Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. had served in the Army, Court records show Waters not guilty, and the case
Cruz told investigators he Collin Stosberg said the of- was fatally shot while trying had a history of convic- was pending when he
took an AR-15 rifle to his for- ficers went to the home in to apprehend the suspect. tions for drugs and resisting died.
mer school on Feb. 14 and Clinton on Tuesday night One of the wounded offi- arrest. He served stints in Stosberg declined to say
started shooting into class- in response to a 911 call cers remained hospitalized prison from October 2000 whether police had re-
rooms. in which no one was on Wednesday with moderate through November 2002, sponded to the home in
Jail records released by the line but a disturbance injuries. The other officer's May 2003 through April the past or what precipi-
could be heard in the injuries were minor, the pa- 2008, July 2008 through Oc- tated the 911 call.q