Scot Peterson who hid during 2018 Parkland school shooting not guilty
The website article reports on the verdict of Scot Peterson, a sheriff’s deputy who was present during the Parkland shooting in 2018 but did not confront the gunman. Peterson, now 60 years old, was found not guilty of child neglect and other charges related to the incident. The jury reached their verdict after deliberating since Monday.
Peterson expressed his emotions, sobbing upon hearing the not guilty verdicts. He stated that he had “got my life back” and emphasized that the blame for the massacre lies solely with the shooter. Peterson expressed willingness to meet with the victims’ families, acknowledging their potential lack of understanding at this point.
Some of the victims’ families, however, expressed disappointment with the verdict. Tony Montalto, president of the school-safety reform group Stand with Parkland and father of a deceased student, believed that Peterson’s failure to act during the shooting was a serious dereliction of duty and that justice had not been served.
Peterson’s defense attorney, Mark Eiglarsh, regarded the verdict as a victory for law enforcement officers nationwide and criticized the prosecutors for questioning the actions of police officers.
The article also mentions Cameron Kasky, a Parkland student advocating for stricter gun control measures, who expressed frustration with the verdict and perceived lack of accountability for law enforcement officers.
The report highlights the fact that Peterson, the only armed resource officer present during the shooting, was not charged in connection with the 11 people killed on the first floor before he arrived on the scene. Surveillance footage showed Peterson did not confront the gunman and instead hid for about 48 minutes.
Following the Parkland shooting, Peterson retired from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and he was later retroactively fired in 2019.
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