Jurors see gruesome video of Florida school shooting

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Jurors within the penalty trial of Florida college shooter Nikolas Cruz considered graphic video Tuesday of him murdering 17 folks as he stalked via a three-story classroom constructing at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas Excessive College 4 years in the past.

The video, compiled from 13 safety cameras contained in the constructing, was not proven to the gallery, the place dad and mom of lots of the victims sat. Prosecutors say it reveals Cruz taking pictures a lot of his victims at point-blank vary, going again to some as they lay wounded on the ground to kill them with a second volley of pictures.

The 12 jurors and 10 alternates stared intently at their video screens. Many held palms to their faces as they considered the 15-minute recording, which has no sound.

Some began squirming. One juror regarded on the display, regarded up at Cruz along with his eyes vast after which returned to the video.

Cruz regarded down whereas the video performed and didn’t seem to look at it. He generally regarded as much as change whispers with one among his attorneys.

The video was performed over the objection of Cruz’s attorneys, who argued that any evidentiary worth it has is outweighed by the feelings it will increase within the jurors. They argued that witness statements of what occurred can be enough.

Circuit Choose Elizabeth Scherer dismissed the objection, saying a video that precisely displays Cruz’s crimes doesn’t unfairly prejudice his case. Prosecutors are utilizing the video to show a number of aggravating components, together with that Cruz acted in a chilly, calculated and merciless method.

Cruz, 23, pleaded responsible in October to 17 counts of first-degree homicide, and 17 extra counts of tried homicide for these he wounded. The jury should determine if he needs to be sentenced to loss of life or life with out parole for the nation’s deadliest mass taking pictures to go earlier than a jury.

Later throughout day two of the trial, jurors heard testimony from Christopher McKenna, who was a freshman throughout the Feb. 14, 2018, taking pictures. He had left his English class to go to the toilet and exchanged greetings with two college students, Luke Hoyer and Martin Duque, as they crossed paths within the first-floor hallway. McKenna then entered a stairwell and encountered Cruz assembling his AR-15 semiautomatic rifle.

“He stated get out of right here. Issues are about to get dangerous,” McKenna recalled.

McKenna sprinted out to the parking zone as Cruz went into the hallway and started taking pictures. McKenna alerted Aaron Feis, an assistant soccer coach who doubled as a safety guard. Feis drove McKenna in his golf cart to an adjoining constructing for security, after which went to the three-story constructing McKenna fled from.

By then, the sounds of gunfire have been already ringing out throughout the campus. Feis went in and was fatally shot instantly by Cruz, who had already killed Hoyer, 15, and Duque, 14, and eight others. Cruz then continued via the second ground, the place he fired into lecture rooms however hit nobody. When he reached the third-floor, he killed six extra.

The jurors additionally heard testimony from two college students who have been wounded as they sat of their English class when Cruz fired via a window within the door.

William Olson was writing an essay when “swiftly I hear a bunch of noise within the hallway. I didn’t know what it was.”

Olson stated he regarded over and noticed one other freshman draped over a desk, blood pouring out of him as he died.

At that time, Olson stated he and different college students scrambled subsequent to the trainer’s desk.

“Whereas I’m laying in entrance of the desk I understand there’s blood throughout me,” he stated. He had suffered arm and leg wounds.

Alexander Dworet stated he initially thought the loud bangs have been the varsity’s marching band, however then he felt a “scorching sensation” on the again of his head the place he had been grazed by a bullet and “I noticed I used to be in peril.”

Dworet’s 17-year-old brother, Nick, was throughout the corridor in his Holocaust research class. Cruz fired into that classroom, too, killing him.

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Related Press author Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report.