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'Multiple Fatalities' in Florida Mass Shooting: Suspect in Custody, 20+ Injured at Parkland's Stoneman Douglas High School

Xeni Jardin

Another mass shooting took place in America today at a high school in Parkland, Broward County, Florida. Several hours after 911 calls first came in, authorities are now reporting that at least 20 injured, 1 dead. A suspect has been taken into custody, alive, according to reports. This is a developing story.

From AP:

The male shooter was identified as Nicolas Cruz, said a U.S. official briefed on the investigation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the information publicly. Previously, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel had said the shooter was a former student. He said the shooter was outside and inside the school at points during the attack, and taken into custody “without incident” about an hour after he left the school. Israel said police were waiting for the SWAT team to give them the all-clear so that they could go inside the school.

Images on live local TV news coverage showed children being marched out of the school, in single file lines, with snipers and SWAT vehicles surrounding the area with a wide perimeter. Some children were marched out with hands on the shoulders of the student in front of them, behind an armed agent.

Local news reports reflect the quickly-changing nature of an active mass shooting, but at least 20 people, adults or children or both, were immediately reported to have been shot and injured.

From WSVN 7 News, Florida:

Margate Fire Rescue has deemed this a mass causality incident, which means at least 20 people have been injured.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office sent out a tweet Wednesday, just before 3 p.m., calling this an “active shooter” situation.

The shooter was described as wearing a black hat, a maroon or burgundy colored shirt and black pants. He was last seen on the west side of a three story building on campus.

As 7 Skyforce arrived on the scene, one person was seen being wheeled into a Coral Springs Fire Rescue ambulance, but he was on his phone.

However, soon after, at least four other people were spotted surrounded by fire rescuers, at the corner of an intersection at the north part of the school

The extent of injuries remain unknown.

Several students could be seen walking and running along the road, past those injured.

Coral Springs Police are asking people to avoid the area, as a perimeter is in place, which extends to a nearby Walmart, and the evacuation continues.

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