A parent of one of the students killed in the school shooting in Parkland, Florida earlier this year has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against several people involved, including a school resource officer who stayed outside during the attack.
Andrew Pollack, the father of victim Meadow Pollack, filed a lawsuit on Monday in Broward County Circuit Court in Florida, according to numerous reports. The suit accuses former Broward Sheriff Deputy Scot Peterson, the armed school’s resource officer who didn’t enter the school during the shooting, of “never once attempting to fire a single bullet” at the shooter.
Pollack, who also spoke with President Donald Trump during a roundtable about school safety following the shooting, called Peterson a “COWARD” in a tweet about the lawsuit.
In the tweet, Pollack refers to the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, as 18-1958, a reference to the case number.
“I filed a wrongful death suit against Deputy Peterson today. I want to expose that coward so bad. Where ever he goes I want people to recognize him and say that’s one of the cowards of Broward. The SRO that let those children and teachers die on the 3rd floor!” Pollack tweeted on Monday, adding: “Deputy Scot Peterson could’ve prevented 18-1958 from killing my beautiful daughter & other innocent, unprotected students & teachers! He was paid to protect them but instead he ran & hid because he is a COWARD. Needs to be helps accountable!”
I filed a wrongful death suit against Deputy Peterson today. I want to expose that coward so bad. Where ever he goes I want people to recognize him and say that's one of the cowards of Broward. The SRO that let those children and teachers die on the 3rd floor!
— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) April 30, 2018
Deputy Scot Peterson could’ve prevented 18-1958 from killing my beautiful daughter & other innocent, unprotected students & teachers! He was paid to protect them but instead he ran & hid because he is a COWARD. Needs to be helps accountable! @AP #FixIthttps://t.co/B5XKFN8GkH
— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) May 1, 2018
The lawsuit also names the estate of Lynda Cruz, the shooter’s mother, James Snead and Kimberly Snead, who housed Cruz after his mother’s death, and several mental health centers, according to CNN.
Video from the school on the day of the Parkland shooting shows Peterson standing outside of the school during the shooting and not entering it. Peterson resigned shortly after the shooting. Armed guards were stationed outside of Peterson’s home after reports that the did not enter the school emerged.
The shooter, Nikolas Cruz, was charged with 17 counts of murder in early March. It was determined that he used an AR-15 rifle during the attack.
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