At least 17 people were killed and several others were injured in a school shooting on Wednesday in the US state of Florida
Fire Rescue vehicles block the road to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami on February 14, 2018 following a school shooting. A former student armed with an AR-15 rifle opened fire at a Florida high school, killing at least 17 people, officials said, in a harrowing shooting spree that saw terrified students hiding in closets and under desks as they texted for help. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel identified the gunman as Nikolas Cruz, 19, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland who had been expelled for "disciplinary reasons." Pic/AFP
At least 17 people were killed and several others were injured in a school shooting on Wednesday in the US state of Florida. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel told the press that 12 were killed in the school building, two were killed outside the building, one on a road nearby and two died in hospital from wounds. The shooting occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, which was voted Florida's safest city last year, CNN reported.
ADVERTISEMENT
The mass shooting said to be 18th school shooting of the year, have rekindled the debate on the controversial gun control legislation in the US.
The school said the incident took place as the school was dismissing students. The shooter was identified as Nikolaus Cruz, a 19-year-old expelled student at the school. He was captured shortly after the shooting. An AR-15 semi-automatic rifle was found at the site. The Police reportedly captured the suspect about 1.6 kilometres from the school.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said, "My prayers and condolences to the families of the victims of the terrible Florida shooting. No child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school." Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut -- a prominent voice in the fight for gun control -- took to the Senate floor late this afternoon to address the Florida school shooting.
We are responsible for a level of mass atrocity that happens in this country with zero parallel anywhere else," he said. "Let me just note once again for my colleagues: this happens nowhere else other than the United States of America. This epidemic of mass slaughter, this scourge of school shooting after school shooting," he added. "It only happens here not because of coincidence, not because of bad luck, but as a consequence of our inaction," he said.
Earlier this month, two 15-year-old students in Los Angeles were shot in class, according to a report from the scene
Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
