Deputy
Scot Peterson, shown speaking in 2015, was armed and stationed on campus when
Nikolas Cruz opened fire.
The home of the former school resource deputy who stayed
outside the Florida high school as last week’s massacre unfolded was being
protected Friday by law enforcement officials -- even as President Trump called
out the ex-cop, suggesting he was a "coward."
An Associated Press reporter said he approached
Peterson’s home Thursday night, seeing lights on inside and cars present. He
rang the doorbell twice, but no one answered.
Before departing for his speech at the Conservative
Political Action Conference on Friday morning, Trump, in a set of fiery remarks,
lambasted Peterson.
"When it came time to get in there and do something,
he didn't have the courage, or something happened," Trump said. "He
certainly did a poor job. That's the case where somebody was outside, they are
trained, they didn't react properly under pressure or they were a coward."
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Peterson, who
was armed when gunman Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High
School, “never went in[to]” the building that was under attack. He said the
school resource officer instead took up a position viewing the western entrance
of the building.
Israel said he was “devastated, sick to my stomach” after
learning of Peterson’s inaction during the school shooting that left 17 people
dead. The sheriff said he believes Peterson remained outside the building for
roughly four minutes, while the shooting in total lasted around six minutes.
Israel said the officer never fired his weapon.
"What matters is that when we, in law enforcement,
arrive at an active shooter, we go in and address the target," the sheriff
said. "And that’s what should’ve been done."
When asked what Peterson should have done, Israel said
the deputy should have "went in, addressed the killer, killed the
killer."
He added: “There are no words. I mean, these families
lost their children...I've been to the funerals...I've been to the vigils. It's
just, ah, there are no words."
Peterson resigned Thursday after video surveillance
showed he never entered the school, even though he “clearly” knew there was a
shooting taking place, officials said.
Officer Tim Burton of the Coral Springs Police
Department, who responded to the shooting, told the New York Times that Peterson “was seeking cover behind
a concrete column leading to a stairwell.”
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office confirmed to WTVJ that Peterson's family requested
privacy and protection following Peterson's resignation.
Student Jenna Jorsten told WSVN that she was “in shock” Peterson stayed outside
-- especially after learning of unarmed teachers and students risking their
lives to save others.
“If he’s the one with a gun, he should be the one out
there with the gun trying to protect the kids,” she said. “Why was he hiding
outside? It just makes no sense to me whatsoever. I mean it just doesn’t make
sense to me at all.”
Cruz, 19, has been jailed on 17 counts of murder and
police said he confessed to being the shooter. Defense attorneys, state records
and people who knew him indicate Cruz displayed behavioral troubles for years.
Two other deputies from the Broward County Sheriff's
Office have been placed on restrictive duty as officials investigate
"whether or not they could have done more, should’ve done more."
The officers were identified by WSVN as Edward Eason
and Guntis Treijis.
Their restricted assignments come as authorities found
they responded to at least 23 calls regarding Cruz or his brother since 2008.
In two of the instances, Col. Jack Dale said, protocol might not have been
followed.
Israel said an investigation remains ongoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this
report.
