Governor Rick Scott: “FBI Director Needs to Resign” for Failure to Act Before Parkland Shooting

FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray prepares to testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. (Photo: AP)

Florida Governor Rick Scott called on FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign for the Bureau’s admitted failure to take action after receiving alarming information on January 5, 2018, regarding Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz.

“The FBI’s failure to take action against this killer is unacceptable,” Governor Scott said. “The FBI has admitted that they were contacted last month by a person who called to inform them of Cruz’s ‘desire to kill people,’ and ‘the potential of him conducting a school shooting.”

Cruz, 19, was behind the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, a middle-class community located about 45 miles (72 km) north of Miami. The FBI had information regarding “[Nikolas] Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.”

The FBI was alerted back in September to a post made by a user under the name Nikolas Cruz claiming he would be a “professional school shooter.” There are only 12 people in the country who spell their name as the shooter did and only 6 of them reside in Florida.

Yet, the FBI claimed to have spoken with the YouTube channel creator who reported the post and that’s it. It’s also true that the school system, students and other officials were well-aware of his violent and troubled disposition. Now, 17 people are dead.

“Seventeen innocent people are dead and acknowledging a mistake isn’t going to cut it,” Governor Scott said. “An apology will never bring these 17 Floridians back to life or comfort the families who are in pain. The families will spend a lifetime wondering how this could happen, and an apology will never give them the answers they desperately need.”

Cruz was arrested Wednesday and charged Thursday with 17 counts of premeditated murder.

“We constantly promote ‘see something, say something,’ and a courageous person did just that to the FBI. And the FBI failed to act. ‘See something, say something’ is an incredibly important tool and people must have confidence in the follow through from law enforcement. The FBI Director needs to resign.”