Deputy acquitted of charges related to deadly Parkland shooting

A Florida jury on Thursday acquitted former sheriff deputy Scot Peterson of negligence charges. The state had charged Peterson with seven counts of child neglect and three counts of culpable negligence for failing to confront an active shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. The gunman killed 14 students and three adults in the attack now known as the Parkland Massacre. Tony Montalto, father to one of the victims, said he was disappointed with the verdict. Peterson said he’s ready to talk with hurting parents to explain his actions.

What kind of precedent will this set? The Broward County State Attorney’s Office said Peterson's case marks the first time an officer received charges for their actions during a school shooting. Bob Jarvis, a professor at Nova Southeastern University's law school, said Peterson was “being made a scapegoat.”

Dig deeper: Read Kim Henderson’s report in WORLD Magazine on Nashville families finding healing after the Covenant Presbyterian shooting.