FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Broward Sheriff's Office suspended another deputy who is under investigation for his response to the Valentine's Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Deputy Edward Eason surrendered his gun and badge, and was under restricted duty.
Local 10 News reported in March that Scot Peterson, a former Broward Sheriff's Office deputy assigned as MSD's school resource officer, stood armed outside for four minutes, and Eason, who also failed to confront the shooter, vanished in radio transmissions for three minutes. Deputy Michael Kratz reported hearing shots fired by the football field, according to the radio transmissions.
Earlier this year, Peterson said through tears in an interview with "Today" that he was sorry and it wasn't fear that kept him from rushing inside. He said it was the miscommunication and an assumption that the shots were being fired outside by a sniper.
"Those are my kids in there," Peterson said. "I never would have sat there and let my kids get slaughtered, never."
Broward Sheriff Scott Israel recently accepted the resignation of Commander Jan Jordan, who oversaw the agency's response to the massacre. The department also suspended Sgt. Brian Miller, who was the first sergeant to arrive at the school.
The department's actions come after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission revealed failures.
Commission members, appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, watched body camera video showing Eason didn't immediately enter the building, as Nikolas Cruz shot and killed 17 people and wounded 17 others.
In September, the Sun-Sentinel reported Eason responded to a woman's call two years ago after she was concerned about Cruz's Instagram posts and Eason didn't file a report, because he didn't think there was a "credible threat."
The commission is preparing to submit their first report of recommendations in January.
