Parkland father sues officer who stayed outside during shooting

The father of a student killed during the Parkland, Fla., school shooting has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the school resource officer who stayed outside during the attack.

Andrew Pollack, whose 18-year-old daughter Meadow Pollack died in the shooting, announced on Monday that he is bringing the suit against former Broward County sheriff’s deputy Scot Peterson. 

“I filed a wrongful death suit against Deputy Peterson today,” Pollack tweeted. “I want to expose that coward so bad. Where ever he goes I want people to recognize him and say that’s one of the cowards of Broward. The [school resource officer] that let those children and teachers die on the 3rd floor!”

I filed a wrongful death suit against Deputy Peterson today. I want to expose that coward so bad. Where ever he goes I want people to recognize him and say that’s one of the cowards of Broward. The SRO that let those children and teachers die on the 3rd floor!

— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) April 30, 2018

“This suit has nothing to do with money,” Pollack added.

This suit has nothing to do with money. I want to be sure anywhere he goes in this country he will be recognized as the coward that could have gone in and saved the students and teachers on the third floor.

— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) April 30, 2018

{mosads}

Peterson resigned in February after he was criticized for not entering the building during the shooting, despite being the armed resource officer stationed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Sheriff Scott Israel ripped Peterson for failing to confront the assailant who used an AR-15 to kill 17 people and injure dozens of others.

A 27-minute surveillance video released by officials appears to show Peterson outside the building.

“The video speaks for itself. His actions were enough to warrant an internal affairs investigation, as requested by Sheriff Scott Israel on Feb. 21.” @browardsheriff on the surveillance video from the #Parkland shooting https://t.co/5MGgalPRuD pic.twitter.com/echf3rx2g7

— South Florida Sun Sentinel (@SunSentinel) March 15, 2018

Israel said the video made him “sick to [his] stomach” and left him feeling “devastated.”

“There are no words,” he said.

Pollack has been pushing for stricter school safety regulations following the shooting.

While speaking to President Trump during a listening session on school safety, Pollack said he was “pissed” about what had happened.

“It stops here with this administration and me,” he said. “It should have been one school shooting and we should have fixed it. I’m pissed. Because my daughter, I’m not going to see again. She’s not here. … It’s enough. Let’s get together, work with the president and fix the schools.”

“We must have proper security in every school in America!” He tweeted last month.

I am not doing this to get famous, I am doing this so no family ever again has to feel the way my family feels. There are no excuses! We must have proper security in every school in America! I will not stop until that is accomplished. We must #FixIt! #MeadowsMovement pic.twitter.com/Hz6v9S9vrI

— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) April 10, 2018