Police have taken Nikolas Cruz into custody after a shooting at a Florida high school on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.
Cruz, 19, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., was taken into custody off-campus, according to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.
Cruz was taken from the school by ambulance to a hospital nearby.
Israel confirmed that 17 people were killed in the attack.
The shooting began around 2 p.m. at the large school complex located in Broward County in southern Florida.
The Miami Herald reports that a teacher at the school said Cruz, 19, had been identified as a potential threat to fellow students in the past.
Math teacher Jim Gard told the Harold, “There were problems with him last year threatening students, I guess he was asked to leave campus.”
Here’s what we know now (according to police):
- The shooting started outside the building, then Cruz went into the school and continued shooting.
- He had "multiple" magazines of ammuniton
- He had an AR-15 weapon
- He had a gas mask and "smoke grenades"
- He pulled the fire alarm as he went into the school and then began shooting
- He had "disturbing" material on social media accounts.
- He is 5'8" tall
- He has red hair
- He was wearing a maroon shirt and black pants
- He was taken into custody off-campus
