Newly released transcripts of the police calls made from the time the Florida school shooter carried out mass carnage to about an hour later reveal how a phalanx of officers frantically searched for the murderous gunman.
The transcripts of the officer-to-dispatch calls, obtained by CNN, show that after the first 911 call came in for a report of an active shooter at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School at 2:23 p.m. Wednesday, officers were able to quickly identity the shooter as 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz.
“White male, burgundy shirt, wearing a black hat and either long black pants or shorts. He mixed in with a group of students who were running westbound …,” an officer says.
Officer: “I’m being told, advised by the employees that it should be a student: Nikolas Cruz, Nikolas Cruz, who came in on campus with a backpack.”
A dispatcher then asks: “Nikolas Cruz, is that confirmed?”
Officer: “I’m getting that from the baseball coach — they were told it was Nikolas Cruz.”
According to the transcript, a student inside classroom 1255 made a 911 call to report that someone was “pushing on her door.”
A dispatcher calling to officers asked: “Is that a police officer? Any units pushing on 1255?”
The officer replies, “Yes,” and dispatch asks: “You want them to open it or do you want me to tell them to stand down?”
According to the transcript, a voice orders: “Tell her to open her door, have her open her door right now!” to which the dispatcher responds, “All right, I’m telling her right now.”
As the minutes ticked by and Cruz was remained at large, the transcripts show that officers widened their search and worked to evacuate students.
At one point, an officer says he talked to a student and was working to obtain a photo of Cruz.
“He should be a ginger, red hair with freckles. Always wears a hoodie, was part of the ROTC program. He’s about 5 feet 8,” the officer says.
Officer: “I’m being advised by ROTC students that he was kicked out last year. We’re still looking for a photo — he worked at a Dollar Store on Magnolia. Last name spelling is C-R-U-Z.”
Later, an officer sends out a call to all units: “[J]uveniles being loaded onto the buses are going to park. The IDs need to be checked of the juveniles before they get on the buses. Make sure that Nikolas Cruz isn’t part of this group.”
Before Cruz, an expelled former student, was taken into custody as he was casually walking along a desolate street near the school at 3:41 p.m., an officer reveals that he had just spoken to the shooter’s father.
Officer: “I just spoke with Nikolas’ father. He said he spoke with him and he said he was at a McDonald’s by the school — I’m trying to see what that address is.”
Officer: “I’m talking to Nikolas’ caregiver. We need some units to go to his house. … He’s got a safe with guns, he doesn’t know if his wife is OK.”
Officer: “I’ve got bad radio service, I’ve got the mom. She’s 10-4. (OK) I’m going to need a couple extra units out here to secure the house. There’s possibly a male in the house, not the suspect. We’re trying to talk him out.”
At 3:41 p.m., an officer radioed: “We have the suspect detained.”
Cruz has been charged with slaughtering 17 students and staffers.