Florida Gov. Rick Scott sent a letter Tuesday to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel and Superintendent Robert Runcie requesting that an armed law enforcement officer “secure every point of entry” at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the high school in Parkland, Fla., where a deadly mass shooting took place last month.
The letter follows a series of disturbing events and after parents voiced their concerns. For instance, in recent days multiple students were arrested on separate occasions for bringing knives to the school and Zachary Cruz, the brother of the February shooter, was arrested for trespassing.
“Recent events at the school have demonstrated the need for additional security measures to be implemented,” Scott, a Republican, wrote, according to Politico. “Parents, students and teachers have recently endured one of the worst tragedies in Florida history. They must be assured that every necessary step is being taken to increase safety and ensure no unauthorized people are allowed on campus.”
In total, 17 students and staff lost their lives during the shooting last month, which has renewed calls for stricter gun laws and solutions for improving school safety.
In a tweet Tuesday evening, Scott praised Deputy First Class Blaine Gaskill, an armed school resources officer at Great Mills High School in southern Maryland, for confronting a shooter who opened fire on the site earlier in the day.
“This brave police officer’s quick action saved lives today,” Scott said. “This demonstrates the important role of trained law enforcement at our schools and why we are pushing for more school safety officers to keep our kids safe in Florida.”
This brave police officer’s quick action saved lives today. This demonstrates the important role of trained law enforcement at our schools and why we are pushing for more school safety officers to keep our kids safe in Florida. https://t.co/CeIdWirE1p
— Rick Scott (@FLGovScott) March 21, 2018
The suspect in the Maryland shooting, Austin Wyatt Rollins, died after being taken to the hospital. It’s uncertain whether he was injured due to self-inflicted injuries or from Gaskill, according to St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron.
Rollins injured two students during the shooting. A female student he shot was taken to the hospital and remains in a critical condition while a male victim has been hospitalized, but remains stable.
