Florida school shooter ‘certain’ to face death penalty

The sunshine state's Attorney General said she is 'certain' prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Nikolas Cruz

Nikolas Cruz, 19, has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder after a school shooting in Florida. Florida is one of America's 31 states where capital punishment is legal and Pam Bondi, Florida Attorney General, said she was "certain" prosecutors would be seeking the death penalty. Bondi also said she spoke at length with Donald Trump: "He so deeply cares about the victims and that's all he was asking about, constantly, and [asking about] what he can do. He's a good man and he cares so much." Bondi said the shooting highlights the need for "better mental health treatment" in the U.S. [caption id="attachment_163222" align="alignnone" width="2400"] Nikolas Cruz poses for a mugshot (Credit: Broward's Sheriff's Office)[/caption]   Cruz appeared in court yesterday, speaking only to confirm his identity. Officials have verified that the AR-15 rifle used in the massacre was purchased legally and the suspect escaped the scene by dropping his rifle and backpack and mixing with fleeing students. The shooting is one of the worst massacres in modern American history and Cruz has reportedly confessed to carrying it out. According to an official report obtained by the Associated Press he confessed under questioning by Broward County sheriff’s officers. Sheriff Scott Israel said Cruz arrived at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in an Uber at 2.19pm on Wednesday and entered the premise carrying a rifle in a soft black case. Israel said Cruz began shooting at 2.21pm, moving from room to room and between the school’s floors, at one point returning to a classroom to open fire again. He then abandoned his rifle and ran from the building, blending in with the students who were fleeing in fear of their own lives. Cruz then went to a Walmart, purchased a drink at a Subway and went to a McDonald’s. He was arrested at 3.41pm, about 40 minutes after he left the fast food chain. [caption id="attachment_163223" align="alignnone" width="3000"] A candlelight memorial service for the victims of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Credit: Joe Raedle)[/caption]   The attack is the eighth shooting to have resulted in death or injury at an American school in 2018. Congressman Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, said on Wednesday afternoon: “Are we coming to expect these mass shootings to be routine? And then after every one we say ‘enough is enough’ and then it continues to happen?”