Cut down in their classrooms: The seventeen children and teachers who were shot dead in Florida high school massacre
- Jaime Guttenberg, 14, Nicholas Dworet, Martin Duque, 14, Meadow Pollack, 18, Cara Loughran, Alaina Petty, 14, Joaquin Oliver, 17, Luke Hoyer, 15, Alyssa Alhadeff, 15, Gina Montalto, 14, Carmen Schentrup, Peter Wang, 15, Alex Schachter, 14, Peter Wang, 15, and Helena Ramsey, 17, were all killed
- Track coach Aaron Feis, 37, teacher Scott Beigel, 35, and athletic director Chris Hixon, 49, were killed protecting students from bullets
- Fifteen others were injured by gunman Nikolas Cruz, 19, who is in custody and awaiting arraignment
- Cruz appeared in court in a jail jumpsuit on Thursday afternoon to be charged with 17 counts of murder
- Chilling details of his past have emerged including a 2017 YouTube comment which he purportedly wrote
- It said 'I'm going to be a professional school shooter' and was written using his name with its unusual spelling
- A vlogger reported that comment to authorities and it was investigated but nothing was done later
- Cruz used an AR-15 that he had bought legally as a teenager in Florida to carry out the mass attack
By
Jennifer Smith For Dailymail.com
Published: 22:24 EST, 14 February 2018 | Updated: 00:18 EST, 16 February 2018
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The 14 student victims of Wednesday's high school shooting have been named and pictured.
Jaime Guttenberg, 14, Nicholas Dworet, a high school senior, Martin Duque, 14, Meadow Pollack, 18, Cara Loughran, Alaina Petty, 14, Joaquin Oliver, 17, Luke Hoyer, 15, Alyssa Alhadeff, 15, Gina Montalto, 14, Carmen Schentrup, Peter Wang, 15, Alex Schachter, 14, and Helena Ramsey, 17, all died.
All were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland,
Florida along with track coach Aaron Feis, 37, geography teacher Scott Beigel, 35, and athletic director Chris Hixon, 49.
Fifteen others were injured.
Jaime Guttenberg, 14, was described by relatives as a 'kind-hearted, sweet' girl. She attended the school with her younger brother who survived and rushed home afterwards. Senior Nicholas Dworet was a gifted swimmer who had his sights set on 2020 Tokyo Olympics success. His devastated college student girlfriend is among those grieving his death. Friends said he was not just a talented athlete, but a 'good guy' who will be missed
Martin Duque, 14, was missing for hours on Wednesday and his frantic family desperately appealed for him to get in touch on social media. On Thursday, his older brother Miguel confirmed his death. Martin was a freshman. Meadow Pollack, 18, was preparing for college. Her father was at the school on Wednesday and showed her photograph around in the hope that she would be found alive
Cara Loughran was missing on Wednesday afternoon. Her mother Denise and her father rushed to the designated hotel where parents were told to go to be reunited with their children in the hope that she would be found alive. Her grieving neighbor confirmed her death on Thursday. Alyssa Alhadeff, 15, (seen right) was eulogized by her mother who said she was a talented soccer player and creative mind. 'All she had to offer the world was love... I just sent her to school and she was shot and killed,' she said
Luke Hoyer (left), 15, was described as a 'precious' child by his grandparents who confirmed his death. They found out about the shooting on television. They said he was a 'good kid' who 'never got in trouble'. Joaquin Oliver, 17, (right), was also killed. Joaquin was a Venezuelan immigrant who came to the US with his family for a 'better future', they said on Thursday
Gina Montalto, 15, (left) was described as a 'light and joy'. She and Jaime, another victim, volunteered at a local project called The Friendship Initiative where they acted as buddies for children with special needs. Gina's mother Jennifer shared pleas to find her on social media on Wednesday. Alaina Petty, 14, (right) was also killed. Her Mormon church confirmed her death, saying she was a 'valiant' member
Carmen Schentrup, 16, was also killed in the shooting. Carmen was a gifted student who last year was named as a semifinalist in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. It includes students who score above average in their SATs or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. ROTC student Peter Wang, 15, also died. His parents speak little English and relied on their neighbor to post social media appeals looking for him. They went to the Marriott hotel with other parents to wait for news of him on Wednesday night and have since confirmed that he was among those killed. One local woman said students had told her Peter held the door open for others while they fled
Alex Schachter, 14, was also killed. His mother died when he was a child and he attended the school in Florida with his brother, who survived. The teenager's father Max said he was a 'sweetheart of a child' who 'just wanted to do well and please his parents'. Helena Ramsey, 17, was described by relatives as a 'reserved' and studious girl who was due to go to college next year
The students were named on Thursday by
The Miami Herald. Police have not yet released an official victim list.
Gunman Nikolas Cruz, 19, is in custody and appeared in court on Thursday to be charged with 17 counts of murder.
Jaime's death was confirmed by her grieving family on social media.
They paid tribute to her as a 'kind-hearted' and 'sweet' girl.
They had hoped she would return home from school along with her younger brother who survived. Their worst fears were realized later in the day.
Fred Guttenberg, her grieving father, gave a heartbreaking tribute to her on Facebook.
He said: 'My heart is broken. Yesterday, Jennifer and I lost our baby girl to a violent shooting at her school. We lost our daughter and my son lost his sister.
'I am broken as I write this trying to figure out how my family gets through this. Hugs to all and hold your children tight.'
Jaime's cousin Alexa Saka shared her grief online, writing: 'You grew up to be the most beautiful, kind-hearted, driven, funny and sweet girl.
Band member Alex Schachter, 14, was also killed.
His father Max told
The New York Times on Thursday that he was an enthusiastic trombone player and a 'sweetheart of a kid.' 'He just wanted to do well and make his parents happy,' he said. Alex's brother survived the shooting.
Gunman Nikolas Cruz, 19, is shown above appearing in court on Thursday afternoon to be charged with 17 counts of murder
'You went out of your way to make everyone feel good and that smile... that smile lit up every single room you walked into.'
Jaime was a volunteer at The Friendship Initiative, a local project where she acted as a 'buddy' for special needs children.
Nicholas Dworet is the other student who was confirmed dead on Thursday.
Cruz, 19, is a former student of the school and students said they feared he would carry out such an attack
His swimming coach confirmed his death and said he had a bright future ahead of him.
Friends described him as a 'fine young man'.
TS Aquatics said in a post about his death: 'He was not only a good swimmer but a good person.
'A happy young man who embodied the values of our program.
'Nick, you have touched every member of the team one way or another and will be missed.'
Dworet was preparing to go to the University of Indianapolis where he had won an academic scholarship.
He had hopes of attending the 2020 Olympics to represent his country in the swim team and was in a long-term relationship with a college student in Florida.
Alaina Petty and another girl who was injured but not killed belong to the same church.
Alyssa's mother shared the news of her death on social media.
'My Daughter Alyssa was killed today by a horrific act of violence. I just sent her to school and she was shot and killed.
'Alyssa was a talented soccer player, so smart, an amazing personality, incredible creative writer, and all she had to offer the world was love.
'She believed in people for being so honest.
Geography Scott Beigel, 35, (left) was shot dead as he tried to lock the door of his classroom again after letting a group of fleeing students in to hide. They were running away from the gunman. Athletic director Chris Hixon, 49, (right) was also killed shielding students
'A knife is stabbed in my heart. I wish I could of taken those bullets for you. I will always love you and your memory will live on forever. Please kiss your children, tell them you love them, stand by them no matter what they want to be.
Aaron Feis, 37, died acting as a human shield. The track coach had thrown himself on top of the kids to stop the bullets from hitting him. He was a former student and was also a security guard at the school where he had worked for eight years
'To Alyssa’s Friends honor Alyssa by doing something fabulous in your life. Don’t ever give up and inspire for greatness. Live for Alyssa! Be her voice and breathe for her. Alyssa loved you all forever!' she said.
Three heroic male teachers also died shielding students from the bullets.
They are athletic director Chris Hixon, coach Aaron Feis and geography teacher Scott Beigel.
Cruz, 19, stormed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Wednesday afternoon armed with an assault rifle.
As well as the 17 confirmed dead, at least 15 were injured.
Broward Sheriff Scott Israel said Cruz was a former student at the school but had been expelled for unknown 'disciplinary reasons' last year.
Cruz was armed with at least one AR-15 rifle and had 'multiple magazines' when he stormed the school wearing a gas mask, according to the sheriff.
Investigators are now looking into whether Cruz may have pulled the fire alarm to draw people into halls so he could get a higher death toll.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by the city to benefit the victims. To donate to it, click
here.
It has so far reached almost $480,000.
The money will be used to pay for the victims' funeral expenses and survivors' counseling.
As survivors grapple with the tragedy, questions turned to whether officials could have prevented the shooting which is the deadliest of its kind since Sandy Hook.
Victim: Jaime Guttenberg is pictured above. Cruz, 19, stormed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Wednesday afternoon armed with an assault rifle
There were emotional scenes at a prayer vigil in Parkland on Thursday where mourners wore the school football team's t-shirt
A woman cries at a vigil for the victims at Parkland Baptist Church shooting on Thursday
[img id="i-48c585716c578d3" src="
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018..._the_church_vigil_n_T-a-208_1518725670628.jpg" alt="Two mourners console one another at the church vigil in Parkland on Thursday " class="blkBorder img-share" width="962" height="610">
Two mourners console one another at the church vigil in Parkland on Thursday
Other students flocked to the Parkland Baptist Church for support and to grieve
Other brave survivors at the baptist church where a vigil was held on Thursday
There was an enormous media presence outside the school on Thursday as lawmakers addressed the tragedy
Tyra Hemans, a senior at the school, brought protest signs calling for stricter gun laws
more videos
FBI agents are investigating a post left on a YouTube comment which was reported to police in September. It was written by someone of the same name who said: 'I'm going to be a professional school shooter.'
Cruz's disturbed mental state is also now being laid bare.
The teenager was a former student of the school and had been previously expelled.
His mental condition is said to have deteriorated over the last year following the death of his adoptive mother who died of the flu.
He was 'obsessed' with guns, according to other students who knew him at Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
Some have said they predicted that he would carry out such a massacre and that no one was surprised when, as yesterday's horror unfolded, he was revealed to be responsible for it.
Cruz remains in county jail. He has been charged with 17 counts of murder and is due to appear in court on Thursday afternoon.
On Thursday, it was alleged he was also part of a white nationalist group.
He had been fighting recently with his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend and experts have suggested he may also be suffering from fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, a congenital condition which causes development and behavioral issues, low IQ and poor reasoning and judgment skills.
He was adopted at birth and was raised by Lynda Cruz and her husband along with his biological brother Zachary.
Lynda died of pneumonia last year and her husband died in 2004, making Nikolas and his brother orphaned.
Until Wednesday's shooting, Nikolas had been staying with family friends in a trailer where there were shooting targets set up in the backyard.
The father in that family normally drove him to school but said he told them he did not want to go on Wednesday because it was Valentine's Day.
Cause for concern: 'I'm going to be a professional school shooter.' wrote Cruz on a video that had been shared by YouTube vlogger Ben Bennight (Cruz's comment above)
Bennight alerted the FBI to a comment shared by Cruz on one of his videos in September; Bennight revealed that the FBI was quick to respond, arriving at his office the next day to find out if he knew anything. That was after he called a local field agent, revealing that his initial attempts to send in a screengrab of the comment failed when the email address he found listed on the agency's website came back with a domain error saying that it did not exist
Holiday in hell: At the same time, Cruz was posting multiple images of himself holding guns and wearing facemasks to his Instagram page (Cruz's Instagram page above)
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How were at least 15 warning signs missed for Nikolas Cruz?
1. 'I'm going to be a professional school shooter'
Nikolas Cruz left a comment on a YouTube video back in September using his own name that simply read: 'I'm going to be a professional school shooter'
2. FBI was warned about the comment but couldn't identify him
Vlogger Ben Bennight alerted the FBI to the comment shared by Cruz. The FBI was quick to respond, arriving at his office the next day but only after Bennight called a local field agent, revealing his initial attempts to send in a screengrab of the comment failed when the email address he found listed on the agency's website came back with a domain error saying it did not exist. The FBI was unable to identify the person who posted the comment.
3. Bought an AR-15 age 18
After Cruz's mother died, he eventually moved in the the family of a former classmate, where he brought his AR-15 which was kept in a locked cabinet that he had the key to. He was able to purchase the rifle in the past year and passed a required background check. Federal law allowed people 18 and over to legally purchase long guns. At 21, people can legally buy handguns from a license dealer. Cruz was also studying marksmanship in the Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
4. Troubling Instagram page
Cruz's Instagram page is filled with disturbing posts of what appears to be himself showing off with weapons with his face covered, asking for advice on buying firearms, and making racist comments about Muslims.
5. Was a member of a white nationalist group and came to training exercises
Jordan Jereb claims that Cruz was a member of the Republic of Florida, which aims to make Florida its own white-entho state. Jereb claimed Cruz, who was adopted, was brought up in the organization by another member and he reportedly carpooled to at least two training exercises held by the group.
6. Boasted about hurting animals
Students who say they knew Cruz claimed he liked to kill animals.
'He was crazy because he liked to kill small things, like little animals - frogs and other animals like that and he just had a crazy mind,' one told 10ABC news.
Another classmate claims he would tell him he shot rats with a BB gun.
7. Took knives and bullets to school
Former classmate Joshua Charo, 16, said all he 'would talk about is guns, knives and hunting'.
Another student said he started selling knives out of a lunchbox when he started high school, while he was also found to be carrying bullet casings in his bag.
8. Was banned from carrying a backpack
Jim Gard, a math teacher, who had Cruz in his class last year, said he believes the school sent out an email warning teachers he shouldn't be allowed on campus with a backpack.
'There were problems with him last year threatening students and I guess he was asked to leave campus'.
9. Expelled for fighting
The deeply troubled 'loner' was expelled last year for 'fighting over his ex-girlfriend' with her new boyfriend.
10. Abusive to his ex-girlfriend
Students claim the gunman was abusive to his girlfriend
11. Stalked another girl
Mr Gard also claimed that he was taken with another student 'to the point of stalking her', while another student who claims to have been friends with Cruz said he had to cut him off because he started 'going after' and 'threatening' a female friend of his.
12. Peeping Tom
Neighbor Christine Rosburgh said she, and all the other neighbors, were terrified of the teen who would bang his head against a cement wall if his legal guardians tried to send him to school.
She also claims she caught him peeking in her window and when she confronted him, he said he was looking for golf balls.
'I said, "This isn't the golf course".
13. Stopped his mental health treatment
Cruz had been getting treatment at a mental health clinic, but stopped about a year ago and dropped off the radar. He was showing signs of depression.
Broward County Mayor Beam Furr said: 'It wasn't like there wasn't concern for him. We try to keep out eyes out on those kids who aren't connected... In this case, we didn't find a way to connect with this kid.'
14. Possible fetal alcohol syndrome
Natalie Brassard, a program director at the non-profit FASCETS, which works with FASD children, said some of Cruz's characteristics 'suggest that he might have been living with an invisible brain-based condition - it could have been FASD or many others.'
Conditions of FASD can range from mild to severe but can include learning disabilities, intellectual disability or low IQ, poor reasoning and judgment and a host of other issues.
15. Orphaned
Cruz's adoptive mother, Lynda Cruz, 68, died of pneumonia in November last year. She was one of the only people that was remotely close to Cruz. His adoptive father Roger Cruz died of a heart attack several years ago.
After his mother died, he and his brother were left in the care of family friend Barbara Kumbatovich, of Long Island, New York.
He is believed to have lived for a few weeks at the Lantana Cascade mobile-home neighborhood with a different family friend before moving in with a former classmate's family in Parkland around Thanksgiving.
Pictured above is the mobile home where Cruz had been staying before moving in with a friend's family before the shooting
In the backyard of the home, beer cans and plates were set up as shooting targets
The backyard of the home on Easter Cay Way is littered with garden furniture and toys. Eerily, a Hot Wheels toy in a container is still beeping. A tan Kia Soul stands in the driveway