Reporters tried to reach former resource Deputy Scott Peterson for his comments to the public outrage that has developed—why he didn’t enter the school during the shooting.
But when reporter Brian Entin was dispatched by WSVN to Peterson’s home on the evening of Feb. 22, he said Palm Beach deputies blocked his access, this despite the fact that the home is not in a gated community.
Entin wrote in a Twitter post that the reporting crew he was a part of was turned away and accused of trespassing.
At a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 22, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel criticized Peterson’s actions during the shooting and announced that the deputy had resigned after being suspended without pay.
Israel said he decided to suspend and place Peterson under an internal investigation after viewing a video that showed the deputy’s actions during the rampage on Feb. 14, as well as witness statements and the deputy’s own statement. Peterson subsequently chose to resign from the department.
“What I saw was a deputy arrive at the west side of Building 12, take up a position and he never went in,” said Israel. The building is popularly known as the freshman building.
The county sheriff told reporters that Peterson should have gone “in, addressed the killer, killed the killer” but instead he remained outside the building.
Israel did not confirm whether Peterson would face criminal charges. He added that the video that shows Peterson’s actions at this time would not be released and may never be released “depending on the prosecution and criminal case.”
He also said he was “devastated” and felt “sick in [the] stomach” about the deputy’s actions.
“There are no words. I mean these families lost their children. I’ve been to the funerals. I’ve been to the vigils. There are no words,” Israel said during the press conference.
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