Investigators from Florida recently found out that Nikolas Cruz, 19, the one responsible for the recent mass shooting that took the lives of 17 people and wounded 15, was a deeply troubled individual. This was made evident when the police dug into his social media accounts, as well as corroborating stories shared by his school teachers and former classmates.
Prior to the tragic shooting, Cruz was already flagged as a threat when he consistently posted about guns and knives on his social media accounts. He also bragged about shooting rats with BB guns.
An administrator once sent an e-mail as a warning regarding Cruz and was circulated as a heads-up to school personnel. It was about being careful when allowing the former student in the campus with a backpack.
Cruz was eventually kicked out when he brought live bullets to school.
Cruz's former classmates say that they were not surprised by the teen's behavior. One Joshua Charo said that all Cruz would talk about was "guns, knives and hunting."
"I can't say I was shocked. From past experiences, he seemed like the kind of kid who would do something like this," Charo added.
Another former classmate, Nicholas Coke, described Cruz as a loner who had "a lot of problems" during middle school. "You never think anyone you know is going to do something like this," Coke said.
Broward Sheriff Scott Israel had similar findings when they dissected Cruz's social media posts. He told reporters that what they found bring to mind things that are "very, very disturbing."
Even Cruz's Instagram page was filled with posts expressing his love for weapons. The social image-sharing site eventually removed Cruz's account from the public in the wake of the shooting.
Cruz was taken into custody after the incident, and was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. The arrest affidavit reveals that the 19-year-old confessed to the shootings.
When the judge asked if he understood the consequences of his actions, Cruz answered answered with a very clear "Yes, ma'am."
