Nikolas Cruz formally indicted on murder charges, could face death penalty

The teenager accused of carrying out the deadly shooting at a South Florida high school in February has been charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder.

A Broward County grand jury returned an indictment for 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, which also includes 17 counts of attempted murder, the Broward state attorney’s office said.

The first-degree murder charges mean Cruz could face the death penalty if convicted.

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Cruz is accused of opening fire on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14, an attack that left 17 people dead and 14 others injured. 

Cruz allegedly carried out the attack with an AR-15, an assault-style rifle that he purchased legally from a dealer in Coral Springs, Fla., roughly a year earlier.

The public defender representing Cruz has said the teen will plead guilty if prosecutors agree to not pursue the death penalty. Michael Satz, the state attorney prosecuting the case, has not said whether he will seek a death sentence for Cruz.