School security officer Scot Peterson acquitted in Parkland shooting for lack of action against gunman

Former school security officer found not guilty in Parkland shooting case.

A former school security officer has been acquitted of charges related to his failure to confront the gunman responsible for the tragic mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018. Scot Peterson, a former Broward County sheriff's deputy and resource officer at the school, had been charged with neglect of a child, culpable negligence, and perjury.

The unanimous decision was delivered on Thursday, prompting Peterson to break down in tears. The charges against him carried a maximum potential sentence of 96½ years in state prison, according to the Broward County State Attorney's Office.

The shooting on February 14, 2018, claimed the lives of 17 students, teachers, and staff members, while 17 others were injured. Peterson, who was armed, was the only other person at the school with a firearm when the shooter opened fire. He was subsequently forced to retire following the incident.

Peterson was taken into custody in Broward County after a 15-month investigation, during which it was revealed that he had "refused to investigate the source of the gunshots, retreated during the active shooting while victims were being shot, and directed other law enforcement officers to stay 500 feet away from the building," as stated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Rick Swearingen, the Commissioner of the Department, stated in a news release that Peterson "did absolutely nothing" to intervene and stop the shooting. Swearingen added, "There can be no excuse for his complete inaction and no question that his inaction cost lives."

Previous legal representatives for Peterson have criticized the charges against him, describing them as "unprecedented" and "spurious." Attorney Joseph DiRuzzo argued in a statement to NBC News in 2019 that the State's actions seemed to be motivated by political retribution and called for the immediate dismissal of the charges.

Nikolas Cruz, a former student, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in connection with the massacre. In 2022, a jury spared him from the death penalty and recommended a life sentence without parole.

In an emotional interview with NBC's TODAY three months after the shooting, Peterson expressed remorse and apologized to the families of the victims. He tearfully stated, "I'm sorry." The veteran law enforcement officer, who had served for 33 years, explained that it was not fear that prevented him from entering the school during the attack, but rather the chaos, miscommunication, and his belief that the shots were coming from outside the building, possibly from a sniper.

"I didn't get it right," Peterson admitted. "But it wasn't because of some, 'Oh, I don't want to go into that building. Oh, I don't want to face somebody in there.' It wasn't like that at all."

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