A deputy who failed to appropriately perform his duties during the Parkland Shooting has been arrested and charged with child neglect.
Scot Peterson was tasked with guarding Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, but when a gunman opened fire in the school in February 2018 the deputy remained outside rather than going to find the shooter.
The Parkland Shooting saw seventeen students and staff members lose their lives.
He claimed he believed the shots were coming from outside the school, but after interviewing 184 witnesses and reviewing countless hours of surveillance footage law enforcement arrested the Broward County Sheriff’s Deputy.
He was charged in Florida with seven counts of child neglect, three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury, TMZ report.
Peterson’s bail has been set at $102k, but if he posts it he’ll be required to wear a GPS monitor, turn in his passport and forfeit any firearms he has.
Following an internal investigation, Peterson was also fired from the Broward Sheriff’s Office for neglecting his duties at the high school on the day of the shooting.
Peterson is reportedly facing up to 96 years in prison for his crimes.
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.