LET'S TALK ABOUT THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF HOW THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT HANDLED NIKOLAS CRUZ'S CASE.
YOU HAVE CALLED FOR AN INVESTIGATION THAT HAPPENED WITH
HIS MENTAL HEALTH, HE WAS DEEMED A BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM.
HE WAS EXPELLED FROM MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS.
HE DID GO TO AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL.
WE KNOW AT SOME POINT DID HE GO BACK.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE BLAMING THE DISTRICT FOR NOT DOING
ENOUGH FOR HIM.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I TRY NOT TO DO IS SPECULATE, MAKE
ASSUMPTIONS WITHOUT HAVING ALL THE FACTS.
I THINK IT IS INCUMBENT ON THIS DISTRICT TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT,
COMPREHENSIVE, THOROUGH REVIEW THAT'S DONE, AND DONE IN A VERY
TRANSPARENT AND URGENT WAY.
SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS STUDENT
ACADEMICALLY.
WHAT HAPPENED IN TERMS OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES,
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SERVICES, YOU KNOW WHAT WERE STAFF DOING?
AND HIS OWN JOURNEY THROUGH THE SYSTEM, SO ONE, WE CAN LEARN
WHERE THERE WERE TURNLTS FOR US TO IMPROVE -- OPPORTUNITIES FOR
US TO IMPROVE WHAT WE'RE DOING TAKE THOSE LESSONS AND MAKE
CHANGES IN THE DISTRICT SO WE CAN MINIMIZE AND PREVENT
ANYTHING LIKE THERE FROM HAPPENING TO OUR STUDENTS.
I CAN TELL YOU IF WE PROVIDED SERVICES PERFECTLY TO ANY
STUDENT, THE FACT THAT HE WAS STILL ABLE TO GO OUT AND
PURCHASE A DEADLY FIREARM, THERE'S STILL A HOLE IN THE
SYSTEM.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN DO.
WE NEED TO ALSO LOOK AT WHAT DOES LAW ENFORCEMENT NEED TO DO?
WHAT DOES THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM NEED TO DO, MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT ENTITIES NEED TO BE WORKING
TOGETHER IN A MORE COLLABORATIVE FASHION.
THAT WAS A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE GOVERNOR AND LAWMAKERS,
WITHIN 1726 THIS BILL HAD PASSED AND THERE ARE PIECES THAT
ENCOURAGE THAT TYPE OF COLLABORATION, THAT ABILITY TO
TAKE ACTION.
IF WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT HAS BEHAVIOR DISABILITIES, MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ENGAGE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONFISCATE ANY FIREARMS THAT
THEY HAVE.
AND THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN GET THEM BACK IS THEY WOULD HAVE TO
GO THROUGH A COURT PROCESS AND PETITION --
AND THE AUTHORITY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
YOU CAN HAVE SOWN, YOU CAN BAKER-ACTED SOMEONE AND WITHIN 72
HOURS YOU HAVE TO RETURN THEIR FIREARM.
SO AGAIN, THERE ARE HOLES IN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
LET'S TALK ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE
AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES THE THERE'S BEEN A MAGNIFYING
GLASS ON WHAT THE BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE DID AND DID NOT
DO.
THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS TO THE HOME, THERE ARE INVESTIGATIONS
INTO WHAT THE DEPUTIES DID OR DID NOT DO IN THAT CASE.
THE SRO OFFICER SCOTT PETERSON DID NOT GO IN, HE WAS OUTSIDE
FOR FOUR MINUTES.
THERE WAS QUESTION WHETHER A PERIMETER WAS DRAWN AROUND
THE SCHOOL.
THERE ARE CALLS BY SOME FOR THE SHERIFF TO STEP DOWN.
DO YOU THINK THE SHERIFF SHOULD STEP DOWN?
AT THIS POINT I THINK IT WOULD BE WAY PREMATURE TO COME
TO THAT TYPE OF CONCLUSION.
FIRST THING I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT MY OBSERVATION ON THE DAY
OF THIS TRAGIC SHOOTING, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS,
THEY WERE THERE IN FULL FORCE.
AND THEY WERE EXHIBITING TREMENDOUS COURAGE.
PUTTING THEIR LIVEs ON THE LINE RUNNING IN AND OUT OF THE
BUILDING, MAKING SURE STUDENTS WERE GETTING OUT OF THERE.
SO I DON'T WANT US TO PAINT A BROAD BRUSH AROUND LAW
ENFORCEMENT OR FIRST RESPONDERS.
I THINK THEY ARE OUTSTANDING.
THERE MAY BE SOME THAT DIDN'T DO WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO DO.
I CAN'T MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT AT THIS POINT.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS THERE HAS BEEN AN INVESTIGATION ORDERED BY
THE STATE.
I THINK THE GOVERNOR INITIATED THAT THROUGH HIS OFFICE.
WE NEED TO LET THAT INVESTIGATION PROCEED.
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THOROUGHLY AND THEN WE SHOULD ALL BE ABLE
TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF THAT.
AND THEN WE CAN DRAW OUR CONCLUSION AND ASSESSMENT BASED
ON THE FACTS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US.
SO AT THIS POINT, IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO DO THAT.
AGAIN, MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE SHERIFFS OFFICE AND ESPECIALLY
RELATIVE TO THIS INCIDENT, AND WHAT I SAW FROM OTHER
MUNICIPALITIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS, I THOUGHT THEY WERE
OUTSTANDING.