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Court: Release surveillance video in Parkland school shooting

Posted at 11:31 AM, Jul 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-25 11:32:05-04

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — An appeals court says news organizations are entitled to obtain surveillance video showing the law enforcement response to the Valentine's Day mass shooting at a Florida high school.

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The 4th District Court of Appeal on Wednesday upheld a lower court's ruling that the video is public record that must be disclosed. News organizations including The Associated Press are seeking the video to better understand the actions of law enforcement and first responders during the shooting that killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Authorities say the school had 70 operating video cameras that day. The media organizations are not seeking any footage depicting the massacre or any victims.

Broward County prosecutors and its school board opposed the video release.

Nineteen-year-old Nikolas Cruz faces murder charges in the shooting.