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BREAKING: ‘Mass Casualty’ Shooting At Florida High School

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  February 14, 2018 3:02 PM

UPDATE: Fox and NBC News is reporting that police at the scene are telling students and teachers to stay put and barricade the doors.

UPDATE II: At least 20 people injured.

UPDATE III: Shooter still at large. Coast Guard deploying helicopters. Between 20-50 people injured.

UPDATE IV: We have reports of fatalities from ABC, witness said they saw dead bodies while evacuating.

UPDATE V: FBI will be on the scene. It's now viewed as a "mass casulty event."

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UPDATE VI: President Trump has tweeted his condolences and has spoken with Florida Gov. Rick Scott. The White House press briefing has been canceled.

UPDATE VII: This is unconfirmed, but Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) said, “Many people have been killed.” Broward Sheriff's Department says the shooter has also been arrested. The suspect is a former student, accoding to the Broward County Sheriff's Department. One person is confirmed to have been killed.

UPDATE VIII: Here’s a video from a mobile phone showing students taking cover inside a classroom as shots were fired. (Warning: Graphic video):

UPDATE IX: There are multiple reports that seven people have been killed in today’s shooting, another fourteen have been injured. 

UPDATE X: Suspect identified as Nikolas de Jesus Cruz (via Miami Herald):

Details remain cloudy amid a flurry of police activity at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland off the Sawgrass Expressway. Students, who heard a fire alarm go off just before dismissal, followed by guns shots, fled off campus and hid under desks as police sped to the scene. Parents, blocked from getting onto campus, stood by helpless.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office is reporting “at least 14 victims” and is still working to clear all the buildings at the massive school, home to about 3,200 students. The shooter, a former student identified by law enforcement sources as Nicolas de Jesus Cruz, managed to make it off campus before he was cornered and taken into custody in a townhouse at Pelican Pointe at Wyndham Lakes in Coral Springs.

Robert Runcie, superintendent of Broward Schools, is reporting “numerous fatalities” in the terrifying attack, the latest in America’s troubled history with guns. Many victims have been transported to Broward Health North, as has Cruz. Four others have been taken to Broward Medical Center.

Broward County Sheriff’s Department has instructed parents looking for their children to head to the local Marriott in Coral Springs.

UPDATE XI: Death toll increased to 17 people.

UPDATE XII: Cruz is said to have used an AR-15 rifle. Sen. Nelson said Cruz also had smoke grenades (via NBC News):

Officials believe the gunman had one AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle and multiple magazines, but it was unclear whether he had any other weapons. The gunfire began outside the school and continued inside, where 12 of the victims were killed, Israel said.

Authorities initially spelled Cruz's first name as "Nikolaus" but later corrected the spelling. He was taken into custody off campus about an hour after he "committed this horrific, detestable act," said Israel, who said investigators were reviewing social media postings that he described as "very disturbing."

Federal and local authorities told NBC News that there was no indication that the gunman had an accomplice or accomplices.

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We have reports of an active shooting incident at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This is a breaking news story. We’ll update accordingly.