Florida Officer Charged for Failing to Enter Parkland School During Massacre

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in a press release said a county security officer was charged with neglect for failing to act to prevent a massacre at a high school last year that left seventeen dead.

"Following an investigation by FDLE, former Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson, 56, was arrested in Broward County today on seven counts of neglect of a child and three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury," the release said on Tuesday. "The arrest comes after a 15-month investigation".

READ MORE: Footage Released of Florida Deputy Not Entering School During Shooting

Petersen was a safety officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School in Parkland, Florida, when last 17 February people were fatally shot by assailant Nikolas Cruz who was 19 at the time.

It remains the deadliest high school massacre in US history.

"The FDLE investigation shows former Deputy Peterson did absolutely nothing to mitigate the MSD shooting that killed 17 children, teachers and staff and injured 17 others", said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen. "There can be no excuse for his complete inaction and no question that his inaction cost lives".

The investigation shows Peterson refused to investigate the source of gunshots, retreated during the active shooting as victims were being shot and directed other law enforcement arriving on the scene to remain 500 feet away from the building, the FDLE said.

READ MORE: Nikolas Cruz Confesses to Florida School Shooting, Hid Ammunition in Backpack