Broward County (FL) Sheriff's deputies received at least 18 calls warning them about Nikolas Cruz from 2008 to 2017, including concerns that he "planned to shoot up the school" and other threats and acts of violence before he was accused of killing 17 people at a high school.
Broward County Sheriff's Office Received 18 Calls About Cruz and Guns Before Attack
A second cousin even asked police to take away Cruz's guns after his mom died Nov. 1. "Nikolas is reported to have rifles and it is requested that (deputies) recover these weapons," the dispatcher noted from the call.
February 23, 2018
The warnings, made by concerned people close to Cruz, came in phone calls to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, records show. At least five callers mentioned concern over his access to weapons, according to the documents. None of those warnings led to direct intervention, the Naples Daily News reports.
A second cousin even asked police to take away Cruz's guns after his mom died Nov. 1. "Nikolas is reported to have rifles and it is requested that (deputies) recover these weapons," the dispatcher noted from the call.
The new details add to the growing list of red flags missed by law enforcement officials, including the FBI, in the months leading up to last week's mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The FBI is reviewing why a tip last month called into the agency about Cruz's desire to kill people was not forwarded to Miami agents for investigation.
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