Family Who Took In Confessed School Shooter Says There Were No Warning Signs
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
PARKLAND (CBSMiami) - The family who took in confessed school shooter Nikolas Cruz said it was the right thing to do after his mother died.
They're also defending their decision to allow him to keep around half a dozen guns.
James and Kimberly Snead insist Cruz, 19, showed no warning signs that he was about to do harm to himself or others.
"He had a positive, positive path going. He was going to school, he had a job, he told us two weeks ago it's the happiest he's ever been," said James Snead.
The family said when Cruz moved into their home with around half a dozen guns, their only stipulation was that he keep them locked in a gun safe.
"I have guns, I respect guns, as long as they're handled properly," said James Snead. "It's his right to own a gun."
Cruz owned the guns legally.
On Monday, a judge authorized the release of his records which indicate he had multiple mental health concerns, including severe depression and ADHD. At vigils and protests across the country, many are calling for tighter regulations to prevent those with mental health issues from buying a gun.
"It comes down to children in classrooms who are being shot," said Whitney Bowen.
At a lie-in outside the White House on Monday, dozens of high schoolers from 'Teens for Gun Reform' posed as corpses.
Students from Parkland plan to rally at the state capitol this week.
"We feel like the politicians on both sides but mostly the GOP who are accepting money from the NRA are betting on our lives and they're betting against us," said Stoneman Douglas High junior Cameron Casky.
The White House said President Donald Trump will host a "listening session" on Wednesday with both students and teachers. It's unclear which students and teachers will be at that meeting.
President Trump is reportedly open to the possibility of supporting bipartisan legislation to strengthen the federal background checks system for buying a gun.
