At a press conference Thursday, Broward Sheriff Scott Israel said he wants to see legislation that would allow law enforcement to involuntarily detain an individual due to alarming social media post content — without evidence of a credible threat.
That request comes a day after a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland killing 17 people. Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old former student, has been charged with 17 counts of murder.
Israel said investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are tracing the history of the AR-15 used in the shooting. He also said an armed sheriff’s deputy who works as a school resource officer was on campus Wednesday — and never encountered the shooter.
Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie said the shooter came onto campus at the end of the day just as school was letting out, so lots of people were coming and going.
Gov. Rick Scott said he will be meeting with legislators in Tallahassee next week. On his agenda is money for mental health programs and keeping guns away from the mentally ill.
Scott at the press conference described his reaction to the shooting.
“As a grandparent and a parent, the first thing you think about is, God I hope this never happens to my family. Then you think ... you’re furious. How could this ever happen in this country? How could this happen in this state?” he said. “This is a state that has focused on keeping all of our children safe. And you come to the conclusion that this is just absolutely pure evil.”
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said the state will pay funeral expenses for the people who died and hospital bills for the wounded.
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