Families of Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS victims, survivors tour building where shooting took place
FORT LAUDERDALE - Family members of those killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, along with survivors, are able to tour the 1200 Building where it happened.
Requests to visit the building were made by 34 listed victims of the mass shooting, the families of the 17 who died and the 17 who survived. Prosecutors were made aware of the request and with the cooperation and agreement of the Broward State Attorney's Office, Broward Sheriff's Office, and Broward School District they were approved.
They will be accompanied by prosecutors and victim advocates from the Broward State Attorney's Office, law enforcement officials from the Broward Sheriff's Office and the liaison advocate for the Broward County School District.
The visits began on Wednesday, July 5, and will likely conclude in the next couple of weeks.
One of the first to visit was Tony Montalto lost his daughter Gina in the shooting. He said it was very hard and that's why there are victim's advocates here to help them through.
"Entering the building where my daughter shot was among the top five hardest things I ever had to do, superseded of course by seeing her cold body," he said.
Montalto said walking through the halls brought him back to the first time he came there with Gina.
"Of course, Gina was a freshman so we went through the orientation process," he said.
Montalto said for him, going inside was part of the healing as he's still processing the grief.
"I'll never close out Gina, she'll always be my firstborn, my only daughter, my beloved daughter," he said.
The three-story building has been preserved pending two trials connected to the February 14, 2018, massacre.
Gunman Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty to 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to life in prison with no parole.
The second trial ended last week when a jury acquitted Scot Peterson, the school's resource officer who stayed outside during the attack, of felony child neglect and culpable negligence. Peterson's attorney wanted jurors to see the exterior of the building, while prosecutors wanted them to see both the outside and inside.
The judge decided against sending jurors.
The Broward State Attorney's Office, which has custody of the building, will return it to the school district after the victims' family members and survivors complete their visits.
Requests to visit by other staff members and former students who were present on the day of the mass shooting will be handled by the school district.
The 1200 Building will eventually be torn down and the space will remain empty.