The father of Parkland school shooting victim Meadow Pollack filed a lawsuit on Monday against former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson. Andrew Pollack filed the wrongful death lawsuit against the school resource officer for not entering the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School while the massacre took place inside.
“I filed a wrongful death suit against Deputy Peterson today,” Pollack tweeted. “I want to expose that coward so bad. Where ever he goes I want people to recognize him and say that’s one of the cowards of Broward. The SRO that let those children and teachers die on the 3rd floor!”
I filed a wrongful death suit against Deputy Peterson today. I want to expose that coward so bad. Where ever he goes I want people to recognize him and say that’s one of the cowards of Broward. The SRO that let those children and teachers die on the 3rd floor!
— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) April 30, 2018
Peterson served the Broward County Sheriff’s Office as the school resource officer. He was on duty at Stoneman Douglas when confessed gunman Nikolas Cruz opened fire at the school killing 17 people, including Pollack’s 18-year-old daughter Meadow.
The lawsuit was filed in Broward County Court and also included the estate of Lynda Cruz, James Snead, Kimberly Snead, Henderson Behavioral Health, Jerome Golden Center for Behavioral Health INC, and South County Mental Health Center, INC., as defendants, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
Andrew Pollack was one of three victim’s fathers who was appointed to a 16-member commission to investigate the February 14th shooting. He stated in a follow-up tweet that his lawsuit “has nothing to do with money.”
“I want to be sure anywhere he goes in this country he will be recognized as the coward that could have gone in and saved the students and teachers on the third floor,” the father added.
This suit has nothing to do with money. I want to be sure anywhere he goes in this country he will be recognized as the coward that could have gone in and saved the students and teachers on the third floor.
— Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) May 1, 2018
According to the Broward County Sheriff, Scott Israel, Peterson “never went in[to]” the building that was under attack, and instead took up a position outside which allowed him to view the western entrance of the building. Video footage shows Peterson, a 33 year veteran of law enforcement, was standing in that area for 20 minutes.
Peterson defended his actions, saying through a spokesperson that “the allegations that Mr. Peterson was a coward and that his performance, under the circumstances, failed to meet the standards of police officers are patently untrue.”
After being suspended without pay pending an internal investigation, Peterson “chose to resign and immediately retired rather than face possible termination,” according to the department.
Pollack’s son, Hunter, tweeted on Monday that Meadow’s family “wants the world to know this is the guy that hid behind a concrete wall while kids and teachers were killed.”
“He’s a WEASAL COWARD, and no matter where he goes should be recognized as a failure,” Hunter Pollack said. “He failed to act, and than lied about it after. We will not forget!”
My family wants the world to know this is the guy that hid behind a concrete wall while kids and teachers were killed. He’s a WEASAL COWARD, and no matter where he goes should be recognized as a failure. He failed to act, and than lied about it after. We will not forget! #FIXIT pic.twitter.com/4ybZ4lEDGa
— Hunter Pollack (@PollackHunter) April 30, 2018
Andrew Pollack’s lawsuit is the second to be filed after the Parkland shooting. Student Anthony Borges, who was shot five times as he shielded classmates during the massacre, filed a lawsuit on April 17th against Cruz, the estate of his late mother, a family that took him in after his mother’s death, and three mental health facilities that treated him.