Radio Logs from Parkland Shooting Prove Embattled Deputy Knew Shooting Was Inside Building

Broward Sheriff's officer crouches behind vehicle door.

Broward Sheriff’s officer crouches behind vehicle door.

Anthony Borges is the lone victim from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting who remains hospitalized.

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On Thursday, a spokesman from Broward Health Medical Center announced that his condition has been downgraded from Fair to Critical condition. Anthony struggles to survive as one of the true heroes from the shooting, having been shot five times as he barricaded a door.

In stark contrast has been the highly questionable actions of Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson, who was on scene that Valentines Day, yet refused to enter the school and engage the shooter.

Peterson, the school’s resource officer, has come under intense scrutiny for his actions, and he had released a statement through his lawyer that declared Peterson believed the gunfire had been taking place outside of the building.

This was said to justify his actions, as he was following department protocol by taking up his position. However the transcript from the radio transmissions between BSO deputies and neighboring Coral Springs Police Department reveals that Peterson in fact acknowledged shots from inside of Building 12, and he instructed other officers to not enter the building.

Do not approach the 12 or 1300 building, stay at least 500 feet away,” Peterson is heard announcing over the radio. As officers tried to determine where the gunfire was originating, Peterson informed those on scene they were “inside the 1200,” referring to the Freshman building where the shooter entered and opened fire on students and faculty.

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This completely undermines the Peterson defense, and may also explain why it was additional deputies took a perimeter position instead of entering the school.

The timelime established by this radio log shines a brighter light on the events and explains much of the frustration that has welled up in the aftermath of this atrocity.

2:19pm — The shooter arrives at the MSD campus via Uber.

2:21 — The shooter enters Building 12. (How he has gained access is not clear.) Seconds later he begins opening fire.

2:22 — The fire alarm is set off.

2:23 — Peterson: “I think we have shots fired, possible shots fired —1200 building.” He then called for the building to be locked down, while he retained a position outside of Building 12.

2:25 — As other officers on scene attempt to determine the location of the shots Peterson announces they are centered inside the Freshman classrooms: “All right… We also heard it’s by, inside the 1200.” He follows this up moments later. “No one comes inside the school.

2:27 – At this time the shooter has suspended his shooting on the third floor. He drops his weapon and makes his way outside, as one of the other students. Peterson: “Stay at least 500 feet away at this point.”

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2:28 — Coral Springs PD officer Tim Burton arrived on scene. He radioed out the first description of the shooter. Burton: “White male, with ROTC Uniform, Burgundy Shirt.”

2:29 — This is the first sign of wounded

2:32 — Coral Springs officers make the initial entrance into the building.

3:30 — After exiting the building the shooter walked due west to a Wal-Mart. He purchased a drink at a Subway located therein. He exits the store and walks south a few blocks into Coral Springs. He is eventually spotted and taken into custody by police.

This transcript underscores what many have been outraged about when learning of the events on the campus that day. BSO had a case officer on the scene, and had at least three other deputies arriving initially, leading to inaction. Neighboring Coral Springs police arrived and actually undertook the action of entering the school.

By this time the shooting had completed and the shooter had fled. There is no way to determine how this delay to engage the scene allowed the shooter the chance to flee, nor if this impacted the possibility to save any of the victims. But this dereliction of duty certainly invites these questions.

In the days following the event there seemed some tension between the two police agencies. CNN reported a Coral Springs city manager confronted Sheriff Scott Israel. Also, an internal email from the Coral Springs Police Chief detailed his thoughts as to how “another agency” framed itself as the primary responders and that his department, and that of CSFD, had not been recognized.

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These logs should be the effective end to the career of Scot Peterson, as they illustrate his inaction and prove his desperate explanation is impotent. As for the BSO, and Sheriff Israel, they too have plenty to answer for, given it took over eleven minutes and a separate law enforcement agency to make the initial entrance into the shooting scene. The ramifications of those deputies not taking action need to be explored further, and extensively.

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