Nikolas Cruz is an American school shooter from Parkland. On February 14, 2018, he committed a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, (where he had formerly been a student). That day, he came to his former high school in a Uber at 2:19 PM, shortly before the school ended for the day. He entered his former high school and killed 17 people and wounded 17 others, sending students running into the streets in panic and terror. Later, the police identified him through school surveillance footage.
Cruz was eventually stopped in Coral Springs Florida, about 79 minutes after the shooting initially began. He armed himself with an M&P 15 sport 2 semi-automatic rifle with 30-round magazines. He legally purchased the rifle he used in the shooting from Sunrise Tactical Supply, a gun store in Sunrise, Florida in February 2017. Upon entering the school, he pulled a fire alarm and began shooting at teachers and students. Upon his capture at 3:40 PM, he was sent to the hospital, but then ultimately sent to Broward County Jail.
The exact reasons behind Cruz’s attack remain unknown. His death penalty trial began on July 18, 2022, and concluded on October 13, 2022, resulting in the jury recommending Cruz be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Nikolas Cruz was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He is known for being accused in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018 which killed 17 people.
Nikolas Cruz Early life, Education, and Parents
Nikolas Cruz was born on 24th September 1998 in Parkland, Florida, USA. His real name is Nikolas Jacob “Nick” Cruz. In 2022, he celebrated his 24th birthday. He holds American nationality and his ethnicity is American-White. He was born into a Christian religious family. About his parents, he was born to his biological mother, Brenda Norma Woodward. His mum, Brenda had a violent criminal history and has been arrested 46 times including in 1998 when she was caught buying crack cocaine while six months pregnant with Cruz.
Later, he was adopted with his siblings by his adopted father, Roger Cruz, and his adopted mother, Lynda Cruz. He grew up with his brother, Zachary Cruz, and his sister, Danielle Woodard. His dad died due to a heart attack when he was young & his mum passed away in the month of November 2017 due to pneumonia. Nikolas wasn’t an easy child. He had been diagnosed with a string of disorders and conditions: depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional behavioral disability, and autism, records from the state Department of Children and Families show. His mom told sheriff’s deputies he also had obsessive-compulsive disorder and anger issues. He had counselors in school and at home, according to DCF records, and he took medications.
Nikolas Cruz went to attend Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School but he was expelled from the school. He was once expelled from his high school for bringing bullets in his backpack, and his pupils reported that Cruz liked to talk about guns, bullets, and poaching. He also reported that he would make threats toward other students. Multiple students described him as creepy, weird, and someone who did not fit in with the other students.
Nikolas Cruz – Death Penalty, School shooter
On February 14, 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in the Miami suburban town of Parkland, Florida, murdering 17 people and injuring 17 others. According to a police report, the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, was carrying a rifle case and a backpack.
Armed with an AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle and multiple magazines, he entered a hallway and began firing indiscriminately at students and teachers. He first killed three students in the hallway, then fired through the windows of four closed classroom doors, killing six more students and wounding thirteen others. On the third floor, he shot and killed five students and another staff member, who had all been stranded in the hallway; four other students were injured.
After he stopped shooting (possibly because his rifle jammed), Cruz dropped his rifle on the third floor of the building and left the scene by blending in with fleeing students. At about 3:40 p.m., police stopped Cruz 2 miles (3.2 km) from the school in the Wyndham Lakes neighborhood of Coral Springs and arrested him as the suspected shooter. The shooting lasted about six minutes, and all of the victims were shot within just under four minutes. School surveillance camera video showed Cruz as the shooter, and he was also recognized by eyewitnesses.
On October 20, 2021, Cruz pleaded guilty to all charges and apologized for his actions. The prosecution sought the death penalty, and a four-month trial was expected to commence in January 2022. The sentencing phase was delayed numerous times, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His death penalty trial began on July 18, 2022, and concluded on October 13, 2022, resulting in the jury recommending Cruz be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Nikolas Cruz Sentencing
At his initial arraignment the day after the shootings, Cruz was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and held without bond. On March 7, 2018, a grand jury indicted Cruz on 34 charges: 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted first-degree murder. His trial, initially scheduled to begin on January 27, 2020, was originally delayed until mid-year to allow his lawyers more time to build their case. The case was then delayed again due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, the case was expected to go to trial in September 2021.
Prior to the trial, judge Elizabeth Scherer ruled that the use of “derogatory words” to refer to Cruz would not be allowed from prosecutors or witnesses during the trial, saying that it would not be feasible to create an “exhaustive list of words” that should not be used to describe Cruz. However, Scherer also ruled against the defense in the use of some words, ruling that Cruz can be called “killer”, “school shooter” or “murderer” as she deemed those words “normal to describe particular facts.”
Judge Scherer stated she would hold a hearing on October 20, where Cruz planned to plead guilty to all counts relating to the shooting to avoid the death penalty. On October 20, a plea hearing was scheduled for the murder and attempted murder charges, where Cruz pleaded guilty to all charges. He was also sentenced that day for his attack on Sgt. Beltran. He was given the maximum sentence for each of the related charges, totaling nearly 26 years in prison as each sentence will be served consecutively.
Who were the Victims of the shooting?
Teachers
- Scott Beigel, geography teacher – October 22, 1982 (35 years)
- Aaron Feis, assistant football coach – May 17, 1980 (37 years)
- Chris Hixon, athletic director – February 25, 1968 (49 years)
Students
- Alyssa Alhadeff – May 1, 2003 (14 years)
- Martin Duque – September 9, 2003 (14 years)
- Nicholas Dworet – March 24, 2000 (17 years)
- Jaime Guttenberg – July 13, 2003 (14 years)
- Luke Hoyer – October 25, 2002 (15 years)
- Cara Loughran – February 21, 2003 (14 years)
- Gina Montalto – April 22, 2003 (14 years)
- Joaquin Oliver – August 4, 2000 (17 years)
- Alaina Petty – August 22, 2003 (14 years)
- Meadow Pollack – October 5, 1999 (18 years)
- Helena Ramsay – January 19, 2001 (17 years)
- Alex Schachter – July 9, 2003 (14 years)
- Carmen Schentrup – February 21, 2001 (16 years)
- Peter Wang – November 9, 2002 (15 years)
Nikolas Cruz Personal Life
Nikolas Cruz is an unmarried man but he had a girlfriend whose name goes by Emily. For Emily, he could do anything. Later, their relationship became abusive and she had to call it quits. After their separation, Emily moved on with her new boyfriend. But Nikolasgave death threats to her new boyfriend. He even extended the threat to Emily’s family. There are no affairs about him with anyone after his split with Emily. His sexual orientation is straight and he is not gay.
How tall is Nikolas Cruz?
Nikolas Cruz stands at the height of 5 feet 7 inches or 1.70 m. His body weight consists of 68 KG or 143 lbs. His eye color is brown and his hair color is brown. His body type is slim. He wears a spectacle that suits him well.
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