DEAR Blog

February 14, 2018: PARKLAND FLORIDA SHOOTING

• The shooting lasted a total of six minutes: from 2:21 p.m. till 2:27 p.m.

• When students heard gunshots fired or were instructed by administrators over the loudspeaker that the school was in “code red”, they hid under desks, in closets, and bathrooms as they urgently texted family members.  Some students held on to teddy bears that they had received earlier that day for Valentines Day. 

• Many teachers led students into classrooms for lockdown, although gunshots shattered classroom windows, killing and injuring students and staff.

• Calls from school staff, students, and family members flooded 911 and police officers were given a description of Cruz’s clothing.

• At 2:27 p.m., Cruz dropped the weapon and blended in with students who were fleeing the school for their lives.  Although some students fled, many were terrified to leave the areas in which they hid in fear that the shooting would continue or that there were multiple gunmen. 

• At 3:45 p.m. a SWAT team arrived at the school and searched each classroom individually assessing for safety. While some students felt relief upon seeing the SWAT team, others recalled their confusion and fear in seeing more armed men.  When safety was established, students were instructed to exit the school with their hands over their heads. 

• As police officers searched for the gunman in areas surrounding the school, Officer Michael Leonard found Cruz walking on a nearby residential street and arrested him.

• After he was identified, it was noted that the gunman Nikolas Cruz had been expelled from Stoneman Douglas due to disciplinary reasons, and displayed observable behavioral difficulties. Cruz’s adoptive father passed away when he was six-years-old, and his mother died in November 2017 of cancer. After his mother’s passing, Cruz lived with another family of the school and was allowed to keep his AR-15 rifle in a lockbox in their home. Cruz purchased the military-style assault weapon one year before the shooting at a local store, and passed the required background check. 

• The 17 victims were between the ages of 14 and 39 and included a beloved coach, a member of the school marching band, and seven high school freshmen. 

• In March, 2018, Cruz was indicted with 17 counts of premeditated murder.
   

Psychological Impact

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• The Parkland shooting was a “traumatic event” as defined in the DSM-5 due to individuals directly witnessing and/or being the direct victim of school violence.  The Parkland shooting constitutes as a human generated situational crisis as it was sudden and did not develop over time.

• After students returned for the new school year in August, 2018, the Stoneman Douglas fire alarm was unintentionally activated.  Although the alarm sound was altered after the shooting, many students reported experiencing panic. Some students described crying when the alarm was activated, while others had panic attacks. Noises associated with the traumatic event may serve as triggers or trauma reminders and can cause a child or adolescent to experience feelings similar to those experienced during the event. 

• In response to the Parkland shooting and potentially the political activism that followed, Florida governor Rick Scott signed gun limits into law that require the purchaser to be 21-years-old, and adds a three day wait period before the owner is in possession of the weapon On March 6, 2018.