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Florida School Shooting: Responding Police Found Confusion, Chaos And Carnage

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PARKLAND (CBSMiami) – New investigative reports and audio recordings were released Friday in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 people in Parkland. The documents include narratives from about 10 Broward Sheriff's deputies.

A portion of the documents are blacked out but those that aren't redacted are from the deputies who arrived first on the scene and they reinforce confusion about where the shots were coming from and also show the brave and courageous efforts by deputies to help victims and find the shooter.

One report states, "I heard approximately five gunshots that appeared to be coming from the area between buildings 12 and 13. I saw two students who were running east yelling 'active shooter.'"

Everyone was confused about where Cruz was

Another deputy wrote, "I then heard 4-5 very loud gunshots coming from what sounded like it was outside in the general area of the football field... I took cover behind my marked unit and scanned for a gunman but was unable to locate one."

Several BSO deputies wrote in their reports that they accompanied officers from Coral Springs Police into the freshman building — building 12 — where Nikolas Cruz carried out his violent attack.

"...upon looking inside the doors I could see smoke in the air and victims on the ground. We immediately made entry into the building and began to search the first floor," stated another report.

They saw carnage, and attempted to rescue as many victims as possible and make contact with students and teachers locked in their classrooms.

One deputy wrote about information he received about the suspected shooter.

"I was approached by a school employee. He advised me that the subject was ID'd in the video surveillance to be Nikolas Cruz and that he was known to him as a prior student."

When law enforcement arrested Cruz a short distance and a short time later, a deputy noted this about Cruz's reaction:

"Demeanor, Condescending
Demeanor, Apologetic
Conversation, Abusive Language"

Meanwhile, Coral Springs Fire Rescue dispatched paramedic after paramedic to the scene, quickly determining this to be a mass casualty incident.

"This is going to be a big event. Please advise all area hospitals. Trauma centers especially," stated one recording released by Coral Springs Fire Rescue.

Paramedics also call for a perimeter around the school to stop parents from rushing in to search for their children.

The situation was so fluid that air rescue would not fly because no one knew if the shooter was still active. At one point, Coral Springs Fire Rescue requested an air rescue for a victim.

"They will not fly until they get confirmation that this active shooter is down," the dispatcher told the Fire Rescue Officer on scene.

"I understand," the officer said. "Chief, it's going to be by ground."

Part of the concern for Coral Springs Fire Rescue officials was the status of the shooter.

"The shooter is not down," the Coral Springs Officer said. "The shooter is not down. I need you guys to make sure that you're secured behind vehicles."

According to the BSO reports, one of the ambulances that arrived at those hospitals carried a victim and a deputy who knew him.

That deputy wrote, "(The victim) during the transport needed to be supported. I leaned over the seat and grabbed onto (the victim) and held him until we arrived. During the transport I spoke to (the victim) but he did not respond back, during my conversation I only gave him encouragement that he was going to survive."

The report does not make clear if that victim did survive.

BSO has been criticized because Deputy Scot Peterson, the school's resource officer, did not immediately enter the freshman building where Cruz's attack took place.

Also adding to the confusion: Officers from Coral Springs and BSO couldn't talk to each other over the radio because the two law enforcement agencies were using different frequencies.

 

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