Parkland school shooter faces new charges after attacking sergeant in jail

Nikolas Cruz accused of punching sergeant, taking his weapon

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz is facing new charges after allegedly attacking a Broward Sheriff's Office sergeant in jail.

Three new charges were listed on the jail website Wednesday, including battery on a law enforcement officer, firefighter or paramedic.

Other charges include aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, firefighter or paramedic, and use of electric or chemical weapon against a law enforcement officer.

According to a complaint affidavit, the incident occurred shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday while the sergeant was assigned to guard Cruz, 20, in the dayroom area at the BSO's main jail.

Authorities said the sergeant told Cruz to stop dragging his sandals while walking around the room and Cruz stuck up his middle finger at the sergeant.

The sergeant told deputies he was then rushed by Cruz as he was standing up and claimed that Cruz struck him in the face.

During the scuffle, the sergeant fell to the ground and Cruz took his stun gun from him, the affidavit stated.

According to the report, the stun gun discharged while the sergeant was trying to get it back. 

Authorities reviewed surveillance video of the incident and said it confirmed that Cruz rushed the sergeant and struck him in the face with his left fist. 

Deputies said the video shows Cruz lying on top of the sergeant on the ground and repeatedly striking him on the top of his head. 

According to the affidavit, the sergeant was eventually able to get the stun gun back from Cruz and struck Cruz in the face with it after Cruz had continued to strike him multiple times.

Deputies said Cruz then retreated to one of the seats in the room, at which time the sergeant was able to detain him. 

Cruz is charged with 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the Valentine's Day mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

"They should have finished what he started," Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was among those killed in the shooting, said of deputies involved in the incident at the jail. 


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.