PARKLAND, Fla. – A Broward County sheriff's deputy has been suspended after he was caught sleeping in a patrol car outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, authorities said.
Veda Coleman-Wright, a spokeswoman for the Broward Sheriff's Office, said Deputy Moises Carotti was suspended with pay, pending an internal affairs investigation.
Recommended Videos
Coleman-Wright said just after 5 p.m. Monday a student told another deputy on the campus that Carotti was asleep in his marked patrol car near the 1200 building, the site of the mass shooting that left 17 people dead last month.
The deputy woke Carotti and informed his superiors, Coleman-Wright said. Another deputy was sent to replace Carotti, she said.
File: Deputy Moises Carotti Suspension Letter
On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott called for armed law enforcement officers at every entrance to the high school while students are on campus.
"Recent events at the school have demonstrated the need for additional security measures to be implemented," Scott said.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, called the incident "outrageous" and "almost impossible to believe."
“Of all the schools in America, you would think this would be the safest one right now," Rubio said.
About 30 minutes before Moises was found asleep, other deputies arrested Zachary Cruz, the brother of gunman Nikolas Cruz, for trespassing. Although Zachary Cruz had been told several times to avoid the campus, he rode his skateboard onto the grounds to "reflect on the school shooting and soak it in," deputies said.
A day later, two students were arrested for bringing knives to the school, heightening concerns about security.
"Security at Marjory Stoneman Douglas continues to be an urgent priority for us," Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said. "Given the developments over the past 24 hours, we will further enhance school safety measures. Communications on details will be forthcoming tomorrow."
Security at Marjory Stoneman Douglas continues to be an urgent priority for us. Given the developments over the past 24 hours, we will further enhance school safety measures. Communications on details will be forthcoming tomorrow. @PrincipalMSD #MSDStrong
— Supt Runcie (@RobertwRuncie) March 21, 2018
Carotti's suspension is the latest misstep for the Broward Sheriff's Office on the Parkland shooting case.
School resource Deputy Scot Peterson resigned after Israel said Peterson failed to engage Cruz during the shooting. Peterson, through his lawyer, said he was unsure where the gunfire was coming from and that he was "no coward."
Others have questioned whether Broward County sheriff's deputies could have entered the school sooner. Records released by the BSO said law enforcement officers entered the school 11 minutes after the shooting began.
