PARKLAND, Fla. — Following Thursday's verdict that former Parkland deputy Scot Peterson was acquitted of all charges for his actions during the 2018 Parkland school massacre, the parents of the victims are reacting to the ruling:
Tony Montalto, the president of "Stand with Parkland" and the father of Gina Rose Montalto, who was 14 when she was killed in the shooting, released the following statement:
"As the President of Stand with Parkland, I must address the recent not guilty verdict of former School Resource Officer Scot Peterson in light of the tragic Parkland shooting. This verdict does nothing but absolve Mr. Peterson of his cowardly actions on February 14, 2018. The question of law was settled by the jury, however, we had hoped for some measure of accountability when it comes to ensuring the safety of our nation’s schools and protecting children and teachers. Peterson's failure to act during the shooting was a grave dereliction of duty, and we believe justice has not been served in this case. Moving forward, we must maintain a steadfast focus on implementing comprehensive measures to prevent such devastating school shootings from occurring in the future. Stand with Parkland remains committed to advocating for stricter safety protocols, improved mental health resources, and stronger firearms legislation to safeguard students and staff across the nation."
Watch: Tony Montalto speaks about Scot Peterson's acquittal
Parkland parent Fred Guttenberg, the father of victim Jaime Guttenberg, wrote on Twitter, in part, the following:
"Instead of celebrating, [Peterson] should have thought of Jaime and the reality that she made it to within one second of survival. Had he done anything at all, he was the only person who could have given her that second. While Peterson and his attorney Mark Eiglarsh celebrate him getting his life back, they must always remember that my daughter was murdered because he didn't even try to prevent it. My daughter is dead because Scott Peterson failed to give her the additional single second that she needed entering the stairwell on the 3rd floor. My wife and I will move forward from this, but we will never have our life back, Jaime will never get her life back and Jaime will always be a victim of Scott Peterson's failure."
Manuel Oliver, who lost his son Joaquin in the Parkland shooting, spoke to CNN shortly after the verdict and said: "Today is a bad day."
"I think that the right thing to do, the manly thing to do, the honest thing to do, is to walk out of that room quiet. Be quiet, Mr. Attorney and Scot Peterson. Keep your mouth shut, get in your car and go to your perfect life, but don't cry in front of national TV, asking for us to be a shame and be, to be, you know, to be, uh uh concerned about your beautiful, perfect life. That's what I feel."
Watch: Manuel Oliver speaks about Scot Peterson's acquittal
David Hogg, a former Marjory Stoneman Douglas student who survived the shooting, tweetedhis disappointment about the verdict:
"Remember even when there ARE cops on campus doesn't mean they will do a damn thing and when they don't the system does NOTHING. The cop in Parkland like those in Uvalde wasn't a good guy with a gun he was a coward with a gun. [Expletive] Scott Peterson"