UPDATE — 7:45pm: At least 17 students are reported to have been killed in the deadly shooting this afternoon, and new details about the 19-year-old shooter are being released.
Fox News is reporting multiple students and teachers were familiar with the Cruz and the warning signs in his behavior.
“We were told last year that he wasn’t allowed on campus with a backpack on him,” Jim Gard, who claimed to be a former teacher of the suspect’s. “There were problems with him last year threatening students, and I guess he was asked to leave campus.”
Many students at the school are sharing similar stories. One student going as far to say ,“Honestly, a lot of people were saying it was gonna be him.” Adding that kids joked around that the student would be the one to “shoot up the school.”
"Everyone predicted it," a student said about the #Parkland shooting. pic.twitter.com/mbzBIw8iUa
— Vic Micolucci WJXT (@WJXTvic) February 14, 2018
Sadly, they were right.
UPDATE — 5:30pm : The Florida high school shooter has been identified by authorities and is in custody. 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz is believed to be a former student of the school.
BREAKING: US official: Florida school shooter identified as Nicolas Cruz.
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 14, 2018
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It’s becoming an all too familiar scene: students being escorted out of a school after a shooter has gone on a rampage.
As news breaks, we all hope there are no fatalities – this time, however, the worst case scenario has unfolded. Senator Bill Nelson, speaking live on NBC News, confirmed there were multiple fatalities at the high school in Parkland, Florida. While he wouldn’t give an exact number, he did say there were a “number of fatalities” in the shooting.
Here’s the current live feed showing the harrowing scenes from the ground:
NBC News Special Report: Reported shooting at South Florida high school
BREAKING — NBC News Special Report: Shooting at Florida school. nbcnews.to/2EGOIgl
Posted by NBC News on Wednesday, February 14, 2018
Students can be seen running out of the building, with some carried away from the school in stretchers and loaded into ambulances. There is a heavy police presence, including what looks like several military vehicles.
According to reports, the suspect is allegedly in custody.
UPDATE: Police have detained the person of interest near the high school. #StonemanDouglas #Shooting #stonemanshooting #Parkland #FLL
— Ashley Lapadula (@AshleyTV23) February 14, 2018
MORE: Male in red shirt appears to be handcuffed and apprehended by police officers in Parkland, Florida, following shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School https://t.co/1Y5NBGZMdE pic.twitter.com/EmZdGiSPIP
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 14, 2018
Florida @SenBillNelson told Fox News "there are many deaths" in the high school shooting in Parkland. https://t.co/566dpg1YDk
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 14, 2018
There are 3,000 students in this large high school, spread across many different buildings.
The shooting allegedly took place in a freshman hallway, but this report is unconfirmed.
Videos being posted to social media while kids were taking cover captured the sound of a gun firing off several shots.
This is a breaking story and we will update as new developments come in.