As a gunman killed students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last month, officers outside could not immediately work together to locate the gunfire or the shooter.
An analysis of radio traffic, 911 calls and security video released Thursday by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office reveals the law enforcement’s chaotic response to the Valentine’s Day shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Dozens of calls poured in amid confusion and miscommunication.
When officers from two agencies arrived to the scene, their radios didn’t work correctly. The 911 lines were “blowing up” and dispatchers could hear gunshots in the background as officers tried to pin down the shooting location.
School resource officer Scot Peterson, who officials say waited outside the school building as the shooting unfolded, initially oversaw his colleagues’ response to the shooting.
In the first 10 minutes after gunfire erupted, Peterson ordered officers to shut down the street intersection in front of the school, began a lockdown and alerted officers of the location of possible gunfire.
As dozens of law enforcement officers descended onto the high school, some could not communicate amongst each other.
