Florida shooting: Suspect Nikolas Cruz 'confessed to killing students' police report claims - as it happened
Hundreds attend vigils for the 17 victims of the massacre
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Your support makes all the difference.The teenager accused of using an AR-15 rifle to kill 17 people at a Florida high school is said to have confessed to police that he was the one who carried out the shooting and carried extra ammunition in his backpack, according to a sheriff's department arrest report.
Nikolas Cruz told investigators that he shot students in the hallways and on the grounds of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, north of Miami, the report from the Broward County Sheriff's Office said.
The youngest of the victims in one of the deadliest school shootings in US history, was identified as 15-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff. Meanwhile Cruz appeared in court charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. More than a dozen other people were injured in the shooting. The judge ordered Cruz - who has not yet entered a plea - to be held without bail.
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Police also laid out what they believe to be the timeline for the shooting, which is said to have started when the suspect was dropped off at the school at 2.19 pm local time [7.19pm GMT] by an Uber taxi. Sheriff Scott Israel said at a news conference that the suspect entered the east stairwell and pulled the AR-15 rifle out of a case, readying it and then beginning to shoot into classrooms. The suspect is then said to have shot into classrooms on multiple floors.
The suspect is then said to have dropped the rifle, a vest and his backpack before running back down the stairs. Police believe he discarded those items to join others who were fleeing and escape the grounds. Cruz was arrested about an hour later, having visited at least one fast food restaurant in the meantime.
In a televised address to the nation – his fourth following a mass shooting – President Donald Trump urged Americans to “respond to hate with love”.
“Later this month, I will be meeting with the nation’s governors and attorney generals, where making our schools and our children safer will be our top priority,” he said. “We must also work together to create a culture in our country that embraces the dignity of life, that creates deep and meaningful human connections and that turns classmates and colleagues into friends and neighbours.”
In his remarks to the nation, Mr Trump avoided the issue of gun control, which was the subject of a lot of talk from those in Congress throughout the day, but did say he planned to travel to Florida to meet with victims’ families.
Here is report from the Associated Press:
The leader of a white nationalist militia says Florida school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz was a member of his group and participated in paramilitary drills in Tallahassee.
Jordan Jereb said that his group wants Florida to become its own white ethno-state. He said his group holds "spontaneous random demonstrations" and tries not to participate in the modern world.
Mr Jereb said he didn't know Mr Cruz personally
Former President Barack Obama is calling for "common-sense gun safety laws" following Wednesday's school shooting in Florida.
"We are grieving with Parkland. But we are not powerless. Caring for our kids is our first job," he tweeted.
He added: "And until we can honestly say that we're doing enough to keep them safe from harm, including long overdue, common-sense gun safety laws that most Americans want, then we have to change."
More on Republic of Florida, the white nationalist group that sought to establish a "white ethno-state" and said suspect Nikolas Cruz was a member: here's an interview with the group's leader predicting bloodshed:
The shooting has renewed calls from Congress members for gun control legislation. Here is a video in which Florida's Democratic senator, Bill Nelson, says that "an AR-15 is not for hunting. It's for killing" in reference to the semiautomatic rifle authorities say the shooter used
Suspect Nikolas Cruz, who has been charged with 17 counts of murder, expected to appear in court shortly. Stay tuned for updates
Officials in Florida are flying flags at half-mast to mark the tragedy
From senior US reporter Andy Buncombe: why America seems unable to halt its gun violence epidemic
More on how the suspect was apprehended:
Officer Michael Leonard of the Coconut Creek Police Department said he noticed an individual walking down the sidewalk who matched a description on police radio.
“He looked like a typical high school student and for a quick moment I thought, ‘could this be the person, is this who I need to stop’”? Mr Leonard told reporters.
He said the suspect complied with his orders and was taken into custody without incident. He declined to comment on whether the suspect was carrying a weapon.
In addition to the people who were killed or wounded in the shooting, some first responders may be grappling with the trauma of dealing with such a grisly scene. Frank Babinec, chief of the Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department, said psychological resources will be made available to them.
“Our first responders can never unsee what they saw yesterday”, Mr Babinec told reporters.
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