School resource officer present during Parkland shooting resigns

 

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. (CNN) – The school resource deputy on duty during last week’s deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida has resigned.

It came after he was suspended without pay Thursday morning.

Sheriff Scott Israel with the Broward Co. Sheriff’s Office said, “I want to clarify any rumors, conjecture, or stories that may have been out there. Scot Peterson was absolutely on campus through this entire event. He was armed. He was in uniform. After seeing video, witness statements, and Scot Peterson’s very own statement, I decided this morning to suspend Scot Peterson without pay pending an internal investigation. As is his right, Scot Peterson chose to resign because he has the necessary time with the agency and meets the requirements of retirement. He resigned and slash retired. The investigation will continue.”

According to the Broward County sheriff, Peterson took a position on the west side of the building and waited, but never went in and never confronted the shooter.

When Sheriff Israel was asked what the SRO should have done, he replied, “Went in. Address the killer. Kill the killer.”

17 people were killed in the shooting, and more than a dozen others wounded.

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