Deputy who stayed outside during Parkland shooting arrested and charged with child neglect

[mystery-ak]

Deputy who stayed outside during Parkland shooting arrested and charged with child neglect
By Justin Wise - 06/04/19 03:50 PM EDT

The former school resource officer who stayed outside during the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla., last year has been arrested and charged for failing to act during the incident.

Former Broward Sheriff's Office deputy Scot Peterson, 56, is facing seven counts of neglect of a child, three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.


The charges come about 15 months after a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, killing 17 and wounding several others.

“The FDLE investigation shows former Deputy Peterson did absolutely nothing to mitigate the MSD shooting that killed 17 children, teachers and staff and injured 17 others,” FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said in a statment. “There can be no excuse for his complete inaction and no question that his inaction cost lives.”

DEVELOPING

more
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/446927-deputy-who-stayed-outside-during-parkland-shooting-arrested-and

[thackney]

More info at:

Ex-school deputy Scot Peterson arrested on charges of neglect of duty in Parkland massacre
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-ne-scot-peterson-arrested-terminated-20190604-247rpiefs5abpjkv43jgdlayhi-story.html

...If convicted as charged, Peterson could face a maximum of nearly 97 years in state prison. His bond has been set at $102,000....

...The investigation included 184 witness interviews, review of countless hours of video surveillance and resulted in 212 investigative reports and more than 800 hours of investigation, Cary said.

[Applewood]

Yesterday, the question was raised as to why no one rushed the Virginia Beach shooter.  In my opinion I have no ill will toward any civilian who does not act in such a situation, simply because I know I myself would not have the wherewithal to be a heroine.  But I do expect a member of law enforcement to do so. 

Staying outside while kids were being mowed down inside is reprehensible.  Even if this guy "beats the rap," he should be vilified in perpetuity.

[mystery-ak]

'Coward of Broward' sheriff's deputy arrested for inaction during Parkland mass shooting
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/former-school-resource-officer-arrested-for-inaction-during-parkland-shooting

[DCPatriot]

This is a tough one for me to reconcile.

On one hand, not in his wildest dreams is what happened that day what he signed up for. 

OTOH, by the fact he was armed and in uniform, he represented the first line of defense for those kids.

It's not like he was an experienced policeman who volunteered for SWAT division.

He was glorified figurehead to the student body in order to keep peace.

[Applewood]

...

It's not like he was an experienced policeman who volunteered for SWAT division.

He was glorified figurehead to the student body in order to keep peace.

Wasn't he a sheriff's deputy?  That should have made him more than a figurehead. 

[mountaineer]

He didn't do his job. Period.

[Sanguine]

This is a tough one for me to reconcile.

On one hand, not in his wildest dreams is what happened that day what he signed up for. 

OTOH, by the fact he was armed and in uniform, he represented the first line of defense for those kids.

It's not like he was an experienced policeman who volunteered for SWAT division.

He was glorified figurehead to the student body in order to keep peace.

Of course that's what he signed up for!  When you work as a medic you hope you won't have to do CPR but if it is called for, you have to do it.  When you work as a manager you hope you don't have to fire people but if it's called for you have to do it.  When you take a job as a firefighter you understand that you may at sometime have to go into a burning building.  He as a law enforcement officer.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The former school resource officer widely branded as a coward for failing to intervene during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting has been arrested for failing to act during the massacre.

Scot Peterson, 56, was arrested Tuesday and charged with seven counts of neglect of a child, three counts of culpable negligence, and one count of perjury, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen said Peterson did “absolutely nothing” to stop the shooting, which killed 17 and injured 17 others.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/former-school-resource-officer-arrested-for-inaction-during-parkland-shooting

[Right_in_Virginia]

Of course that's what he signed up for!  When you work as a medic you hope you won't have to do CPR but if it is called for, you have to do it.  When you work as a manager you hope you don't have to fire people but if it's called for you have to do it.  When you take a job as a firefighter you understand that you may at sometime have to go into a burning building.  He as a law enforcement officer.

These are all good points ... and beg the question "was he trained to fire under these circumstances?"  Medics are trained to give CPR and firefighters are trained to react in life and death situations.  Was this deputy trained to fire his weapon in a school filled with students?

[Bigun]

The coward deserves to be stripped of all his pension and benefits and to spend the rest of his natural life behind bars. And that is being too kind to him IMHO.

[Sanguine]

These are all good points ... and beg the question "was he trained to fire under these circumstances?"  Medics are trained to give CPR and firefighters are trained to react in life and death situations.  Was this deputy trained to fire his weapon in a school filled with students?

Most LEOs have to be certified, usually through the state, and, yes, they have been taught what to do in an active shooter situation.

A LEO who doesn't have that knowledge would be like a medic who hasn't learned CPR or an RN who doesn't know how to give an IM injection or an ER doc who can't intubate.  Those are integral skills.

[austingirl]

The coward deserves to be stripped of all his pension and benefits and to spend the rest of his natural life behind bars. And that is being too kind to him IMHO.

 

[Cyber Liberty]

The "Sheriff" ought to be in the dock with him.

[Bigun]

The "Sheriff" ought to be in the dock with him.

Oh HELL yes! 

[txradioguy]

He didn't do his job. Period.

QFT.

And for that the coward needs to pay for his part in the deaths of those kids.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Of course that's what he signed up for!  When you work as a medic you hope you won't have to do CPR but if it is called for, you have to do it.  When you work as a manager you hope you don't have to fire people but if it's called for you have to do it.  When you take a job as a firefighter you understand that you may at sometime have to go into a burning building.  He as a law enforcement officer.

I once had a roommate who was a volunteer firefighter.  He said most of the guys did it for the chance to go into a burning building.  He loved the training exercises, when someone who was tearing a house down would allow the FD to burn it down.  He'd get to stand inside a building with flames racing across the ceiling while supervising the trainees.

Not long before I met him, their fire station burned down.  That part is completely off topic, but I just get such a kick out of it.

[Sanguine]

I once had a roommate who was a volunteer firefighter.  He said most of the guys did it for the chance to go into a burning building.  He loved the training exercises, when someone who was tearing a house down would allow the FD to burn it down.  He'd get to stand inside a building with flames racing across the ceiling while supervising the trainees.

Not long before I met him, their fire station burned down.  That part is completely off topic, but I just get such a kick out of it.

Great story!

[LegalAmerican]

There is talk..he was given a stand down..order?  Is that the perjury?   

[verga]

This is a tough one for me to reconcile.

On one hand, not in his wildest dreams is what happened that day what he signed up for. 

OTOH, by the fact he was armed and in uniform, he represented the first line of defense for those kids.

It's not like he was an experienced policeman who volunteered for SWAT division.

He was glorified figurehead to the student body in order to keep peace.

He had over 500 hours of training to prepare him for this exact type of situation. There is no excuse for this type of cowardice, absolutely NONE.

[sneakypete]

IMHO,this is just the sheriff using distraction to remove attention from himself. He KNEW the guy was a slug. That was why he was assigned as a school cop. He was lazy and non-aggressive in addition to being old and fat,and nobody wanted to partner with him,so they put him in a school to put in his time until he could retire.

Who here REALLY thinks they put their best cops at schools?

[Bigun]

IMHO,this is just the sheriff using distraction to remove attention from himself. He KNEW the guy was a slug. That was why he was assigned as a school cop. He was lazy and non-aggressive in addition to being old and fat,and nobody wanted to partner with him,so they put him in a school to put in his time until he could retire.

Who here REALLY thinks they put their best cops at schools?

IIRC the sheriff was HIGHLY indebted to this guy.  Something about him aiding the sheriff cover up his son's criminal activity.

[sneakypete]

There is talk..he was given a stand down..order?  Is that the perjury?

@LegalAmerican

I had not heard about that,but I would like to hear more. Who,other than the Sheriff or possibly the mayor/city council would have the authority to tell him to stand down?

More importantly,WHY would anyone order him to stand down when he was THE cop on the scene,was in uniform,had his weapon,his badge,and his bulletproof vest. Truth to tell,he should have been INSIDE the damn building running down the shooter before anyone back at the station even knew there was anything going on.

I honestly can't see how they will get any criminal charges to stick to him,but even if he wins the case and gets his pension he will never see a penny of it because he is not immune to law suits for not doing his duty.

[Bigun]

@sneakypete

Here's the story on Israel owing Peterson BIG time!

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/01/04/report-coward-broward-covered-sexual-assault-incident-involving-sheriff-scott-israels-son/

[Applewood]

@sneakypete

I remember a number of explanations came out at the time as to why the deputy did not act.  One was that protocol dictated he not enter until backup arrived.  Another said he was not allowed to carry his firearm on school property grounds.  Unfortunately, I'm not at home where my laptop is, so I can't find any links to share on this subject.  Maybe I'll hunt for them later.  Could be these explanations were not true. 

Don't know if the charges will stick or not.  A lot might depend on whether there were valid reasons for him not going into the school -- or more specifically, whether the court will find any defense to these charges as valid.  As I said before though, even if he is exonerated, I expect he will always be blamed for not at least trying to save lives.