Surveillance video from Parkland school shooting expected to be released Thursday

Patrick Riley | Naples (Fla.) Daily News

Show Caption Hide Caption Parkland school shooting 911 and radio calls released A portion of the 911 calls and first responders’ radio traffic recorded during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting last month has been released to the public. (March 8)

NAPLES, Fla. — The surveillance video from last month’s deadly school shooting in Parkland is expected to be released to the public at noon ET Thursday.

After multiple media organizations, including the USA TODAY Network, petitioned for the release of the video, a Florida judge earlier this week ordered that it be made public.

Authorities say the footage depicts actions by former Broward County sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson, who was armed and assigned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School but never went inside during the shooting.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, is accused of killing 17 students and staff during the Feb. 14 massacre at the school, where more than 70 surveillance cameras are installed.

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Judge Jeffrey R. Levenson of Broward County Circuit Court sided with news outlets Monday, but stayed his order until noon Thursday to allow for a possible appeal.

Prosecutors had previously asked the judge to deny the petition by the USA TODAY Network, the Miami Herald, CNN and others who argued that the footage should be released because of overwhelming public interest.

The video will allow people to consider "whether a different course of action may have lessened or averted the tragic outcome,” the news organizations argued in a petition filed by lawyer Dana J. McElroy, of Thomas & LoCicero in Tampa.

Prosecutors argued in court filings that the release “would be detrimental to the fair presentation of evidence to the grand jury, and jury hearing this matter at trial, and potentially the due process rights of Nikolas Cruz.”

The Broward County Sheriff’s Office and county School Board had resisted the video release, saying it was exempt from disclosure in part because it was evidence in an active investigation.