Cruz appeared in court on Monday on assault charges for attacking the deputy. Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer chose to defer making a ruling to another hearing on 24 February. Cruz faces the death penalty for his role in the Parkland shooting, and has pleaded not guilty.

He killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on 14 February, 2018, and injured 17 others. The attack is the deadliest school shooting in US history.

Students joined together in the year following the shooting to campaign against gun violence and in support of gun control. The teens formed the group Never Again MSD to advocate for tougher gun control legislation.

The Broward County Sheriffs’ Office faced heavy criticism following the shooting for loopholes that allowed Cruz to purchase a gun despite having a background of threatening behaviour. Sheriff Scott Israel’s deputies were also criticised for staying outside the school during the shooting rather than confronting Cruz.

Nikolas Cruz got involved in the violent confrontation last year

CNN reported that Mr Israel received at least 45 calls over the last decade related either to Nikolas Cruz directly or his brother, despite the sheriff's office insisting they’d received no more than 23.

Mr Israel was removed from office by a bipartisan vote in the Florida Senate in 2019.