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Former school resource officer at Stoneman Douglas High School faces 11 charges

Posted at 4:51 PM, Jun 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-04 16:51:03-04

Former Broward County Sheriff’s Deputy Scot Peterson has been charged with child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury in connection with the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Peterson, who retired after the February 2018 massacre at Parkland, Florida, high school and is collecting a pension, was fired Tuesday at a disciplinary hearing by new Sheriff Gregory Tony.

CNN is reaching out to the sheriff’s office to see whether Peterson’s pension payments would be affected.

Also fired was Sgt. Brian Miller, a supervisor on the day of the shooting, the sheriff’s office said.

Peterson, who was a school resource officer, is facing 11 charges in connection with his lack of response to the shooting massacre, according to a release from the State Attorney’s Office.

Peterson was booked into Broward County Jail, the state’s attorney said, and his bail will be set at $102,000.

CNN is reaching out to Peterson for comment.

Days after the February 14 massacre in which 17 people died, footage surfaced of Peterson taking position outside the 1200 building of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School instead of entering the building where a gunman was firing at students and staff.

In past interviews, Scot Peterson’s lawyer, Joseph DiRuzzo III, has said it’s a “gross over-simplification” to characterize Peterson’s actions as cowardly, and said Peterson believed the gunshots werecoming from outside the building.