He says that he ‘responded’ with “Security Specialist Kelvin Greenleaf.” Who is this and why are we only finding out about him now? And his statement deviates from prior reports which say that 3 Broward deputies showed and stayed outside before Coral Springs guys showed and went in. Not to mention, how could he not have known there was shooting in the building? The kids and staff knew, how could he not? Coach Feis ran into the building to save people, according to one of the students.
Via Breaking 911:
Broward County Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson released a statement today in response to his failure to enter the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during the deadly shooting.
To the South Florida Community & the American Public:
Scot Peterson has hired Attorney Joseph A. DiRuzzo, III to assist Mr. Peterson in responding to what Mr. Peterson knows to be unfounded criticism of his actions on February 14th, and uncalled for attacks upon his character by, among others, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.
On Thursday February 22nd Sheriff Israel held a press conference a mere eight days after the tragedy and accused Mr. Peterson of failing to respond appropriately, with the clear implication that Mr. Peterson was responsible for failing to help the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Sheriff Israel has maligned Mr. Peterson even though Mr. Peterson has had a decorated career with the Broward Sheriff’s Office, including receiving glowing annual performance reviews and being named the school resource office of the year in 2014 for Parkland. Further, Sheriff Israel has made his accusations at a time when he has admitted that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s investigation is on-going, in what Israel himself characterizes as “a fluid investigation.”
Let there be no mistake, Mr. Peterson wishes that he could have prevented the untimely passing of the seventeen victims on that day, and his heart goes out to the families of the victims in their time of need. However, the allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue. Mr. Peterson is confident that his actions on that day were appropriate under the circumstances and that the video (together with the eye-witness testimony of those on the scene) will exonerate him of any sub-par performance.
Sheriff Israel has indicated that the video may never be released to the public, but then commentated on the very same video to allege that Mr. Peterson took up a position on the west-side of the building, but that Mr. Peterson never went in the building. Sheriff Israel’s statement is, at best, gross oversimplification of the events that transpired. Sheriff Israel’s February 22nd statement conveniently omitted the following facts for the public’s consideration:
Mr. Peterson initially “received a call of firecrackers — and not gunfire — in the area of the 1200 Building.”
In response to the firecracker call Mr. Peterson along “with Security Specialist Kelvin
Greenleaf exited the 100 Building and ran north the couple of hundred yards to the 1200
Building.”