A divided jury sentenced Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz to life in prison without parole for killing 17 people at a Parkland high school in 2018.
A year ago, Cruz, 24, pleaded guilty to the murder of 14 students and three staff members, wounding 17 others, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.
Florida law requires an unanimous vote on at least one count for a death sentence. But one or more jurors found mitigating factors in untreated childhood issues.
“We are beyond disappointed with the outcome. This should have been the death penalty, 100%. … I sent my daughter to school and she was shot eight times. … I cannot understand. I just don’t understand.”
– Lori Alhadeff, Parent of Killed 14-year-old Daughter, Alyssa
The defense team claimed that Cruz’s birth mother’s heavy drinking during pregnancy left him brain damaged, resulting with violent behavior.
His adoptive father allegedly died in front of Cruz when he was 5, and he was also raped by a 12-year-old neighbor when he was 9.
