President Donald Trump said in a tweet Thursday that a mental illness played a big role in the shooting at a Florida high school that resulted in 17 being killed.
“So many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed, even expelled from school for bad and erratic behavior. Neighbors and classmates knew he was a big problem. Must always report such instances to authorities, again and again!” Trump tweeted.
Nikolas Cruz, 19, opened fire Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 and wounding many others. After the shooting, Cruz was taken to Broward Health North in Pompano Beach, about 13 miles from the high school, and was later released from police custody.
The Miami Herald reported that the suspect previously attended the school, and had been flagged as a potential threat. Cruz had previously been expelled from the high school for bringing ammunition with him in his backpack, and speaking frequently about guns and knives. He had no previous arrests, as reported by the Herald.
On Wednesday, Trump offered his prayers and condolences to the families of the victims, saying “no child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school.”
As reports of the death toll came in, a number of Democrats called on Congress to act to curb gun violence, while Republicans shared their thoughts and prayers with the victims and their families.
Right after the shooting, gun-control advocates and some Democratic lawmakers renewed calls for tightening gun laws, particularly for those with mental illnesses. Florida Senator Marco Rubio warned against making assumptions about a cause for the shooting.
“I think it’s important to know all of that before you jump to conclusions that there was some law that we could have passed that would have prevented it. And there may be, but shouldn’t we at least know the facts?” Rubio said on Fox News.
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