Judge: Lawsuit against Parkland school deputy over 2018 massacre can go to trial

By TERRY SPENCER
Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A lawsuit filed against the Florida sheriff’s deputy who was on campus during the 2018 Parkland school massacre can go forward. Fired Deputy Scot Peterson had moved to dismiss the case before trial. Peterson is being sued by the 17 families of the victims and by survivors of the Valentine’s Day attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The ruling posted Wednesday by Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips says a jury should decide whether Peterson had a duty to protect the students and teachers. Peterson did not go inside the building during the gunfire, saying he didn’t know where the shots were coming from. The families say he was a coward.