Parkland families welcome charges for officer who was on duty the day of school shooting

Members of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School community welcomed news of criminal charges for a former school resource officer accused of neglecting his duties the day 17 people were killed on his watch.

Scot Peterson has faced intense criticism for his actions during the February 14 school shooting. Footage showed him taking position outside a building while gunfire erupted inside. Peterson’s lawyer has said he believed the gunshots were coming from outside the building.

Now, Peterson faces charges including felony child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury in connection with the deadly shooting, and the victims’ relatives are making no secret of their pleasure.

“I have no comment except to say rot in hell Scott Peterson. You could have saved some of the 17. You could have saved my daughter. You did not and then you lied about it and you deserve the misery coming your way,” said Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed in the shooting.

Ryan Petty, father of 14-year-old victim Alaina Petty, called the charges “another step in the search for accountability.”

“Peterson failed in his duty to protect lives that day, standing behind a cement pillar for 48 minutes while students and teachers were slaughtered,” he said.

Hunter Pollack, the brother of Meadow Pollack, called the charges “a huge victory.”

“He cowered in Parkland while my sister died defenseless and lied about his failure to confront the shooter. I hope he spends the rest of his life in prison.”

Peterson’s lawyer, Joseph DiRuzzo III, has said it’s a “gross over-simplification” to characterize his actions as cowardly.

Stoneman Douglas teacher Greg Pittman said the news was a relief to the community.

“He needs to go under jail. Everyone will be happy. He completely neglected his duty to save himself, and everyone else without a gun ran in.”