Carrying a powerful assault rifle, Nikolas Cruz entered his former high school on February 14, 2018, which to this day remains one of the worst mass shootings in American history. The tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., not only injured many others, but also claimed the lives of 17 people.
Almost four and a half years after the tragic attack, on July 18, 2022, Nikolas Cruz, now 23, will go on trial to determine his fate. Cruz faces either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole depending on the outcome of the trial, which is expected to last four months. At the end of the trial, a jury of seven men and five women must unanimously recommend the death penalty.
In October, he entered a guilty plea to 17 counts of first-degree murder.
On Monday, prosecutors delivered their opening statement at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. Michael Satz, the chief prosecutor, quoted a video taken by Cruz before the shooting in which he can be heard:
“Nika is my name. I will be the next school shooter in 2018. I plan to take out at least 20 people with an AR-15 and some tracers. It will be a momentous occasion and you will recognize me when you see me on the news. They are all
The prosecutor begins by outlining a cell phone video #NikolasCruz made in which he states his identity, explains that he will be a school gunman, his intention is to kill 20 and claims that people are watching him on the news about @ will see. Law Crime Network.
He described the slaughter as “systematic” and planned. Danielle Gilbert, a former student, captured footage of the shooting, prompting Nikolas Cruz to respond. The gallery could only hear the audio while the judges could see the clips shown.
Cruz can be seen sitting with his head in his hands and his defense team surrounding him in trial video. The audio of the horrific gunfight plays in the background.
The following video contains footage; Please note. Viewers are advised to exercise caution.
Seeing these grieving family members in the gallery while listening to the audio of #NikolasCruz shooting Parkland made me cry.
One of the most devastating trials of all time could be this one. But it’s really vital.
Students reflect on all the evidence that Nikolas Cruz was responsible for the Parkland tragedy months after it happened and conclude that “it turns out everyone expected it.”
Prosecutor Michael Satz described the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as a “systematic murder” that was meticulously prepared on Monday. The attack was plotted in his mind as he walked through the gates of his former high school four years ago, the student wielding an AR-15 semi-automatic weapon.
Months after the shooting, which killed 14 students, a former Parkland student told news station WJXT, “He was with us for fire drills.” High school classmates, the student said, used to ridicule Cruz’s actions :
“Honestly, a lot of people predicted he was going to win. Everyone made a joke about the fact that he had reduced the school to rubble and hinted that he would. It turns out everyone foresaw it. That’s absurd.
According to Nikolas Cruz, the relatives of the victims of the atrocities should decide on the punishment. The defense has postponed its opening statement.