The families of most of those killed and wounded in the 2018 Florida high school massacre announced Monday have reached a multi-millio...
The families of most of those killed and wounded in the 2018 Florida high school massacre announced Monday have reached a multi-million dollar settlement with the federal government over the FBI's failure to stop the gunman even though it had received information he intended to attack.
Attorneys for 16 of the 17 killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and some of those wounded said they have reached a monetary settlement with the government over the FBI's failure to investigate a tip it received about a month before the massacre.
The 17th family chose not to sue.
The families of most of those killed and wounded in the 2018 Florida high school massacre announced Monday have reached a multi-million dollar settlement with the federal government over the FBI's failure to stop the gunman even though it had received information he intended to attack. Nikolas Cruz entered guilty pleas to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the Valentine's Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in a Florida court this morning (pictured in court last month)
Surveillance video captured Cruz, now 23, stalking the hallways of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018, aged 19
Cruz activated the fire alarm and then opened fire for a total of six minutes, killing 17 - 14 students and three teachers - and wounding 17 others (Pictured: Students were evacuated from Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School by police during the mass shooting)
Seventeen people were killed in the shooting on Valentine's Day 2018 - 14 students, and three school workers
The attorneys said the settlement's details are confidential, but a person familiar with the deal said the government will pay the families $127.5 million overall.
The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the amount.
'It has been an honor to represent the Parkland families who, through their immeasurable grief, have devoted themselves to making the world a safer place,' their lead attorney, Kristina Infante, said in a statement.
'Although no resolution could ever restore what the Parkland families lost, this settlement marks an important step toward justice.'
Andrew Pollack, whose 18-year-old daughter Meadow died in the shooting, commended the FBI for accepting responsibility for its inaction, comparing it to the Broward County school district and sheriff's office, the school security staff and the psychologists who treated the shooter
Gina Montalto, 14, was one of 17 victims on the Valentine's Day shooting. Her mother Jennifer (right) was pictured during a court recess
Tony Montalto wore a pin of his daughter Gina who died in the massacre at Cruz's trial
Andrew Pollack, whose 18-year-old daughter Meadow died in the shooting, commended the FBI for accepting responsibility for its inaction, comparing it to the Broward County school district and sheriff's office, the school security staff and the psychologists who treated the shooter.
He believes they all failed to stop the shooter and have ducked responsibility.
'The FBI has made changes to make sure this never happens again,' Pollack said.
Tony Montalto, whose 14-year-old daughter Gina died, said no settlement will 'replace my bright, bubbly and beautiful daughter.' He said that while other families celebrate Thanksgiving this week, Gina's chair will remain empty.
Both Montalto and Pollack said any money they receive will not replace their daughters.
Paul David Stern, the lead attorney defending the government, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
About five weeks before the February 14, 2018, shooting, an FBI tip line received a call saying a former Stoneman Douglas student, Nikolas Cruz, had bought guns and planned to 'slip into a school and start shooting the place up.'
'I know he's going to explode,' the caller told the FBI.
But that information was never forwarded to the FBI's South Florida office and Cruz was never contacted.
He had been expelled from the school a year earlier and had a long history of emotional and behavioral problems.
Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty last month to 17 counts of first-degree murder.
He will receive either a death sentence or life in prison after a penalty trial that is scheduled to start in January.
Cruz, a former student, then 19, had burst into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018, armed with an AR-15 rifle, 'multiple magazines' and smoke grenades after arriving in an Uber.
He killed 14 students and three staff members, and wounded 17 more people.
Cruz is believed to have set off fire alarms to draw people out into the halls shortly after 2pm before he opened fire - and then managed to evade police by pretending to be a student running for cover. He was taken into custody an hour later.
The families of 14 students and three employees previously reached a $25 million settlement with the Broward County school district in a lawsuit that had accused it of negligence.
Under Florida law, no single victim could collect more than $300,000 in a government settlement without approval from the State Legislature, but David Brill, the families' attorney, said the parties worked out an arrangement so the families could collect the money without having to wait for that approval process.
Cruz pleaded guilty to the mass murder last month and apologized to the victims' families.
Cruz entered guilty pleas to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder.
Now 23, Cruz was a 19-year-old expelled student with a history of mental health and behavioral issues at the time of the 'premeditated' killings, the Broward State's Attorney Office said in court documents.
At the hearing in October, Cruz told the judge he was experiencing 'anxiety,' which she then said was 'normal under the circumstances'.
In his apology to victims' families he seemingly blamed pot for the deadly attack, saying that the 'US would do better if everyone stopped smoking marijuana'.
'I hate drugs and I believe this country would do better if everyone would stop smoking marijuana and doing all these drugs and causing racism and violence out in the streets,' he added.
Cruz has previously admitted to using a lot of marijuana and had taken a lot of the prescription tranquilizer Xanax.
He told Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer that he understood that he would, in the best case scenario, spend life in prison or be sentenced to death, and would not be allowed to appeal his sentence.
The gun violence on February 14, 2018, left 14 students and three staff dead and 17 others injured.
At his sentencing Cruz asked whether he could address the victims and their families, who were pictured in court wearing shirts, pendants and jewelry in honor of their late loved ones.
'May I take off my mask?' he asked before saying: 'I am very sorry for what I did and I have to live with it everyday.
'If I were to get a second chance I would do everything in my power to help others.
'I do not care if you don't believe me,' he told the court, adding that he now gets 'nightmares sometimes... and can't even watch TV anymore.'
Cruz held back tears as he said: 'I hate drugs and I believe this country would do better if everyone would stop smoking marijuana... I'm trying my best to maintain my composure and I just want you to know that I'm really sorry.'
Back in 2018, the killer admitted to cops that he used a lot of marijuana and Xanax after being diagnosed as developmentally delayed at age three, according to government documents.
Cruz also revealed that on more than one occasion, he used substances to try to intentionally overdose.
He stared down at the podium Wednesday throughout the entirety of his statement.
'I know it's your decision to decide whether I live or die,' he said to the judge.
'What I meant was that I believe that they should have the right to choose - the victims - whether I take life or death,' Cruz added, although he clarified to the judge that he understands the law, which says a jury will decide Cruz's fate.
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