A man whose son survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last week turned in his AR-15 to Broward Sheriff's deputies in Parkland.

Mark Timpone loved the gun, the same one authorities say 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz used in the shooting, but now says he wants it gone. He said it's too much knowing that his son, Dominic, was steps away from the gunman who used the same semi-automatic weapon to kill 17 people.

“My son was ten feet from the shooter, he bumped into him and ran back upstairs," Timpone said.

Timpone and Dominic's mother were among the first parents to arrive at the school after the gunfire started. His mother left a chilling voicemail for NBC 6's Trina Robinson a short time later.

"Trina, Trina there’s a shooting at the Stoneman Douglas we’re going to get Dom," she said in the voicemail.

And because their 15-year-old son survived the horror in the classrooms and the hallways, Timpone said he wants no part of a weapon that could cause so much pain.

"These are killing machines. My son was saved, if I get rid of it and show I don’t want it, I could save one child, because my son was saved," he said.

Timpone said he wants stricter background and mental health checks for all gun owners, but said the AR-15 should be outlawed because he was able to buy it used without any kind of checks.

"I didn’t even have my conceal carry. No background check used, anybody could do it," he said.

Timpone said he knows he's going to get grief from the gun lobby but he doesn't care.

"When your son or daughter goes though what my son did then put yourself in my shoes and then you will understand," he said.