The teen gunman Nikolas Cruz accused of opening fire with a semi-automatic rifle at his former high school in Parkland, Florida, Feb 14th Valentine's Day has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, officials said Thursday. Authorities said the suspect, identified as 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, concealed himself in the crowd fleeing following the massacre on Wednesday afternoon. He was arrested in nearby Coral Springs. Seventeen Beautiful Souls. Our prayers and heartfelt sympathies to the friends and family of this horrific murder.
Victims:R.I.P.
Alyssa had played competitive soccer since she was 3 years old. Like any athlete, she had her ups and downs. But when her club, Parkland, faced off against the rival team from Coral Springs on Feb. 13, she was at the top of her game. “Her passing was on, her shooting was on, her decision-making was on,” her mother, Lori Alhadeff, recalled. With her outgoing personality, Alyssa had a wide circle of friends at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. She placed first in a debate tournament, was taking Algebra 2 and Spanish 3, and was honing her skills as an attacking midfielder. The score at what was to be her last time on the soccer field was 1-0, Parkland. Martin Duque Anguiano 14 “He was sweet and caring and loved by all his family,” Miguel wrote. “Most of all he was my baby brother.” Nicholas Dworet 17 a promising high school swimmer, took a recruiting visit to the University of Indianapolis a few weeks ago. After a group dinner, he pulled the coach aside and said he wanted to compete there after he graduated this spring. “He was an instant part of our family,” said Jason Hite, the university’s swim coach. Mr. Hite said Nicholas, 17, had received an academic scholarship and planned to study physical therapy. Aaron Feis 37 So he was seen as someone who looked out for students who got in trouble, those who were struggling, those without fathers at home. “They said he was like another father,” Mr. Feis’s grandfather, Raymond, recalled. “He’d go out of his way to help anybody.” School officials said that Mr. Feis, 37, did the same on Wednesday. When there were signs of trouble, they said, he responded immediately to help. “When Aaron Feis died, when he was killed — tragically, inhumanely — he did it protecting others; you can guarantee that,” said Scott Israel, the sheriff of Broward County. “I don’t know when Aaron’s funeral is,” Sheriff Israel said. “I don’t know how many adults are going to go, but you’ll get 2,000 kids there.”
Jaime Guttenberg 14 Her father, Fred Guttenberg, posted this on Facebook: “I am broken as I write this trying to figure out how my family gets through this.” Christopher Hixon 49 Luke Hoyer 15 A cousin, Grant Cox, who was at the Christmas gathering said the family had been told by the police that Luke, a freshman at Stoneman Douglas, was among those killed on Wednesday. Mr. Cox said Luke was a basketball player who was ambitious about the sport and admired N.B.A. stars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry. “I know Luke loved his family,” Mr. Cox said. “I know he did. He had a huge heart.” “He was quiet, but a very happy individual,” he said. Cara Loughran 14 “We are absolutely gutted,” by her death, her aunt, Lindsay Fontana, wrote in a Facebook post. “While your thoughts are appreciated, I beg you to DO SOMETHING. This should not have happened to our niece Cara and it cannot happen to other people’s families.” Gina Montalto 14 Andy Mroczek, who has worked as a choreographer at Stoneman Douglas, posted a tribute to Gina on Facebook. “We lost a beautiful soul tonight,” he wrote. Joaquin Oliver 17 He played basketball in the city recreational league — his jersey number was 2 — and he loved to write, filling a notebook with poetry, said Julien Decoste, a close friend of Joaquin’s and a fellow senior at Stoneman Douglas. “Guac and I always wanted to graduate together and prove everyone wrong, that we would be successful together,” Julien said. On Tuesday, Joaquin, 17, asked Julien to help out at his next basketball game, which was scheduled for Thursday. “I’ll be there,” Julien texted his friend. “Good looks brotha,” Joaquin responded. On Wednesday, as he hid inside a closet during the shooting, Julien texted Joaquin to check in. “You good?” Julien texted. “Bro I need you to answer me please.” 11. Alaina Petty 14 “Her selfless service brought peace and joy to those that had lost everything during the storm,” the family’s statement said. “While we will not have the opportunity to watch her grow up and become the amazing woman we know she would become, we are keeping an eternal perspective.” Alaina was also a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, her family said. Meadow Pollack 18 Meadow was a senior at the high school who was planning to go to Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., next year, according to her father, Andrew Pollack, who said his daughter was among the dead. “She was just unbelievable,” Mr. Pollack said. “She was a very strong-willed young girl who had everything going for her.” Mr. Pollack described his daughter as smart, beautiful and caring. She worked at her boyfriend’s family’s motorcycle repair business. “She just knew how to get what she wanted all the time,” Mr. Pollack said. “Nothing could ever stop her from what she wanted to achieve.” Helena Ramsay 17 “Though she was somewhat reserved, she had a relentless motivation towards her academic studies, and her soft warm demeanor brought the best out in all who knew her,” he said, later adding: “She would have started college next year.” Alex Schachter 14 Mr. Schachter said Alex had loved his mother, who died when he was five years old. His older brother also attends Stoneman Douglas and survived the shooting. Alex “just wanted to do well and make his parents happy,” his father said. Carmen Schentrup 16 “I’m in a daze right now,” he wrote. Peter Wang 15 “He was always so nice and so generous,” Aaron, 16, said, adding that even though Peter was younger he had worked to be sure Aaron didn’t get bullied when he first arrived. Peter was last seen in his gray uniform for the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, or J.R.O.T.C., on Wednesday. On Thursday, Aaron and another cousin said the authorities had informed the family that Peter was among those killed in the shooting. “He was the kid in school who would be friends with anyone,” said the other cousin, Lin Chen, 24. “He didn’t care about popularity.” No Name- School Janitor We instinctively walked outside," says 17 year old David Hogg. "We thought it was a drill." As David's class walked towards the evacuation zone, they saw a "tsunami" of people running towards them. They turned and followed the crowd down the corridor. What they didn't realise was this: they were heading towards the shooter. "A very heroic janitor stopped us," says David. "He said, 'Don't go that way - he [the shooter] is over there'." He was our Angel. He saved so many lives. Please also visit Anthony Cabrales. |
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