Federal Lawsuit Filed By 15 Student Survivors Of Stoneman Douglas Massacre
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PARKLAND (CBSMiami) – More than a dozen survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre are filing a lawsuit.
The suit was filed Wednesday morning in federal court.
The survivors claim law enforcement and the school district failed them, leaving 17 people dead, 17 more injured and many students and teachers mentally scarred.
Audrey Diaz is one of 15 Marjory Stoneman Douglas students who's filing a federal civil rights lawsuit after the Parkland shooting that killed 17 people.
"We thought we were safe at school and would always be protected," said Diaz.
She was at school on Valentine's Day when Nikolas Cruz confessed to opening fire inside the freshman building.
"What happened that day shouldn't have happened," Diaz said. "We deserved more from our law enforcement. It could have ended the massacre before more people died that day, not 17."
The suit claims BSO Sheriff Scott Israel, School Superintendent Robert Runcie, and several deputies failed them, including School Resource officer Scott Peterson. He remained outside during the shooting.
School Monitor Andrew Medina is also named. He did not confront Cruz after seeing him on campus, instead radioed it in.
"It should have been nipped in the bud," said attorney Solomon Radner who's representing the students. "It should have been prevented and once started should have stopped immediately, but the law enforcement choked."
He says law officers did not do their job.
"We're expecting them to be heroes," he said. "That's their job and if they choke and they cause people to die, they will have to face the music."
Russell Williams represents Medina in other matters. He believes this federal lawsuit will be dismissed.
"This is a desperate attempt by two lawyers trying to make a name for themselves," he charges.
Williams argues, not only did Medina follow proper procedures that day, but the people being sued have an immunity privilege.
"Evil, ill will, spite or hatred those are the bad faith prong to pierce the privilege of qualified immunity," he said, "there's not an expert in the world who's going to come in and testify that any one of these defendants were involved in that."