The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source:
Posted: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:35 PM
Calls Grow For Ouster Of Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel To Resign Over Florida High School Shooting Response
State Rep. Bill Hager, R-Boca Raton, sent a letter to Scott Saturday urging him to relieve Sheriff Scott Israel from his duties for “neglect of duty and incompetence," the Palm Beach Post reported.
Bill Hager
@RepBillHager
As a result of the media reports coming out showing the gross incompetence of the @browardsheriff, I am calling on @FLGovScott to remove sheriff Israel from his post. 1/2
In addition, a survivor of the shooting told Fox News on Sunday that the sheriff had to go.
“He failed to act on so many different levels and him himself, he is responsible for this massive failure. It could have been easily stopped both by the FBI and the sheriff's department had they acted,” Kyle Kashuv told “America's News HQ.”
Scott does have the power to remove Israel due to the state’s Statute 112.52, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. He said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement would launch an investigation, adding, “There must be an independent investigation and that is why I asked the FDLE Commissioner to immediately start this process.”
Hager cited reports from the media that several Broward sheriff’s deputies waited outside rather than rush in as the alleged gunman, Nikolas Cruz, gunned down students. The Valentine’s Day shooting unfolded at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The allegations emerged a day after veteran Broward Deputy Scot Peterson resigned after it emerged that he failed to enter the school and confront the gunman. Peterson had been assigned to guard the school.
Hager also cited reports that there were “23 calls to the Broward Sheriff’s Office relating to Nikolas Cruz and his home, as well a 39 visits by Broward Sheriff Deputies.”
“The Sheriff was fully aware of the threat this individual presented to his community and chose to ignore it,” Hager wrote.
