Parkland school shooting victims’ families listen to rapid fire, cries for help

Parkland school shooting trial (WPLG)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – “Shut it down!” A relative of 17-year-old Helena Ramsey shouted during the first day of the Parkland school shooting

State Attorney Mike Satz was playing a Snapchat video. The recorded sound of gunfire that was coming from Nikolas Cruz’s rifle echoed in the courtroom.

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Dylan Kraemer, a student who survived the 2018 Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was on the stand.

“I looked over and two people were dead,” Kraemer said about what he witnessed when the shooting interrupted his history class In room 1214.

Nikolas Cruz’s defense told Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer it was “necessary” to declare a mistrial because what the jurors had witnessed was prejudicial.

“The Snapchat videos were at the highest volume possible,” Assistant Public Defender Melisa McNeill said.

Assistant State Attorney Carolyn McCann admitted the videos were loud. The judge quickly disagreed with McNeill.

Danielle Gilbert, another student who survived, said she was in classroom 1213 during the shooting.

“I took several videos,” Gilbert said.

The rapid war-zone-like gunfire and shouts for help prompted a woman to jump up from her seat in tears.

There will be more videos to come. Máximo Rosario, a former MSD assistant principal, said there were cameras with motion sensors inside the building.

Retired FBI Special Agent Carlos M. Castello said he retrieved the server with the recordings of the shooting and took them to the FBI Miami headquarters.

Gaston Nieves, a senior forensics examiner for the FBI, said he produced a compilation of the videos in evidence.

Nieves was the prosecution’s last witness of the day. Scherer said court was in recess until 9 a.m. She asked the jurors to arrive to the courthouse by 8:30 a.m.

Related Stories:

July 18: Teacher is prosecution’s first witness in Parkland school shooting trial

July 18: Emotions in courtroom high on day 1 in penalty phase trial for Parkland school shooter

July 13: Parkland school shooter’s death penalty trial to start on Monday morning

Oct. 20: Parkland killer pleads guilty to school massacre, apologizes to victims’ families

April 4: Jury selection begins for Parkland school shooter’s penalty phase trial

June 29: Parkland school shooter’s trial: Judge swears in jury despite defense objections


About the Author:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.