FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Monday marked Day 4 in the trial of former Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Scot Peterson, who is accused of taking cover instead of action during the Feb. 14, 2018, mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Testimony of Coral Springs police Officer Tim Burton
Monday’s hearing started with defense cross examination of state witness, Coral Springs police Officer Tim Burton.
Burton is a school resource officer who said that at the time of his arrival to Parkland, he did not hear gunfire.
“He makes it very clear to you, he doesn’t know the precise location of the shooter or shooters?” defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh asked.
“Correct,” Burton responded.
“Did you think he was lying to you?” Eiglarsh asked.
“No,” Burton said.
Noon report:
Eiglarsh is working to establish that his client didn’t know precisely where the shots were coming from and that taking a tactical position of cover is a response strategy, not an act of cowardice.
During the re-direct questioning, the state asked Burton whether he heard Peterson say the shots were coming from inside the 1200 Building.
“Yes,” Burton said.
“When a shooting is happening, what are you trained to do,” Assistant State Attorney and lead prosecutor Christopher Killoran asked.
“Go toward the shooting,” he said.
Day 4: Monday’s hearing started with defense cross of state witness, Coral Springs #SRO Tim Burton. Defense working to establish Peterson didn’t know precisely where shots coming from + ‘tactical position of cover’ a response strategy not cowardice.
— Christina Boomer Vazquez, M.S. (@CBoomerVazquez) June 12, 2023
▶️ https://t.co/ktpzQ3Tdm7
“Are you trained to tell others to go 500 feet back?” Killoran asked.
“I am not,” Burton said.
Burton told Killoran that had he been at the school at the time shots were being fired and heard them, he would “immediately go to the gunfire.”
“You don’t stay put in a position of cover for 48 minutes, correct?” Killoren asked.
“Correct,” Burton responded.
“If Peterson would have walked into the building, looked into the building, would he have known?” Killoren asked.
“Correct,” Burton said.
Testimony of teacher Stacey Lippel
Teacher Stacey Lippel also testified Monday, giving a heartbreaking and harrowing account of when she saw the Parkland shooter entering the third floor of the 1200 Building.
“(I) saw Scott Beigel’s body outside of my classroom,” she said.
Beigel died while holding his classroom door open to offer fleeing students shelter. Lippel was wounded in the shooting.
“It was a war zone -- glass, bullet casings and dust -- and (I) look to my right, I see bodies and a lot of blood in the hallway,” she said.
Lippel said she didn’t remember seeing Peterson at all that day.
Testimony of Coral Springs Detective Brett Schory
Coral Springs police detective Brett Schory also testified Monday.
He was one of the responding officers that day. His son attended MSD.
“(I was) wanting to save my son, wanting to save other people’s sons and daughter. It’s what we signed up to do,” Schory said. “If you weren’t ready for that day, when would you be ready?”
Jurors also saw body camera footage of officers rendering aid to one of the victims who survived.
Peterson is charged with failing to confront shooter Nikolas Cruz before the gunman reached the building’s third floor, where he killed six people. The deputy is not charged in connection with the 11 deaths on the first floor, before he reached the building.