Ballistics experts will conduct a reenactment of the 2018 Parkland massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, as part of a lawsuit accusing a sheriff’s deputy of failing to protect the victims. During the reenactment, up to 139 shots will be fired to capture the sound that the deputy, Scot Peterson, heard during the attack. The shooting, which resulted in 17 deaths and 17 injuries, sparked a nationwide movement for gun control.
Peterson, who worked for the Broward Sheriff’s Office and is also targeted in the lawsuit, claims that he did not hear all the shots and could not determine their origin due to echoes. He approached the building’s door and drew his gun but ultimately retreated and stood next to another building for 40 minutes, making radio calls. Peterson argues that he would have entered the building if he knew the shooter’s location.
The families of the victims bringing the lawsuit allege that Peterson knew the shooter’s location but failed to act out of cowardice and in violation of his duty to protect. Peterson, 60, was acquitted of felony child neglect and other criminal charges in June, marking the first trial of a law enforcement officer for conduct during an on-campus shooting in the United States.
The reenactment will involve experts firing live ammunition from the same spots as the shooter, using an identical AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle. The sound of the gunfire will be recorded to determine its volume and direction. The school is currently closed for summer break, and no students or teachers will be present during the reenactment.
The families and wounded parties involved in the lawsuit are seeking unspecified damages. The test has been allowed by Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips, although it has not been determined whether the recording will be played at trial. The defense is expected to oppose the attempt. The date for the trial has not yet been set.
The reenactment aims to disprove some of the statements made during Peterson’s criminal trial. Tony Montalto, president of Stand with Parkland, an organization representing most of the families, emphasized that Peterson’s acquittal does not absolve him of failing to act appropriately during the tragedy. Montalto’s 14-year-old daughter was among those killed in the shooting.
Gunshot recordings are known to be sharper in person, and the reenactment will help determine the volume and direction of the shots where Peterson was positioned. The building’s doors and windows were mostly closed during the shooting, raising questions about the audibility of the gunshots.
Tamara Lave, a law professor at the University of Miami, stated that the reenactment does not need to be perfect but should fairly and accurately depict what Peterson heard. The Parkland community has been warned about the reenactment to prevent panic, and a community wellness center, Eagles’ Haven, has organized various programs to support residents emotionally.
Before the reenactment, two congressmen, Democrat Jared Moskowitz and Republican Mario Diaz-Balart, will lead colleagues from the School Safety and Security Caucus on a tour of the building. The building, which has remained mostly untouched since the shooting, will be demolished by the Broward school district after the reenactment.
Can the reenactment of the Parkland massacre provide evidence to support or contradict Peterson’s assertion that he did not hear all the shots fired during the attack
Ine the accuracy of Peterson’s claims about not hearing all the shots and the presence of echoes. This will be done to provide evidence in the lawsuit against Peterson for failing to protect the victims of the Parkland massacre.
The Parkland massacre, which occurred in 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, resulted in 17 deaths and 17 injuries. It ignited a nationwide movement for gun control.
Scot Peterson, a former sheriff’s deputy who worked at the Broward Sheriff’s Office and is named in the lawsuit, contends that he did not hear all the shots and could not discern their origin due to echoes. Peterson approached the school building’s door, drew his gun, but eventually retreated and stood beside another building for 40 minutes while making radio calls. Peterson asserts that if he knew the shooter’s location, he would have entered the building.
The families of the victims pursuing the lawsuit argue that Peterson was aware of the shooter’s location but failed to act out of cowardice and violated his duty to protect. In June, Peterson, who is 60 years old, was acquitted of felony child neglect and other criminal charges. This marked the first trial of a law enforcement officer for conduct during an on-campus shooting in the United States.
To gather evidence, ballistics experts will conduct a reenactment of the Parkland massacre. During this reenactment, up to 139 shots will be fired to replicate the sound that Peterson claimed to have heard during the attack. Experts will fire live ammunition from the same locations as the shooter, utilizing an identical AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle. The gunfire sounds will be recorded to determine the accuracy of Peterson’s claims regarding the ability to hear shots and the presence of echoes. This reenactment aims to provide crucial evidence for the lawsuit against Peterson for his alleged failure to protect the victims of the Parkland massacre.
This reenactment is crucial in understanding the events that unfolded and holding those responsible accountable.