Now that a murder trial is concluded, the building housing Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the scene of the 2018 mass shooting that claimed the lives of 17 people, is slated for demolition.
Since an implosion would have destroyed adjacent buildings, demolition crews are now removing individual parts of the structure. Before the 3,300 kids return to the school in August, the demolition should be finished.
Lori Alhadeff and her family are among those who would want to see the building demolished so that they may move on from the tragedy that befell their daughter, Alyssa. Even now, her son must pass the same building his sister was murdered in on his way to and from school.
Tony Montalto and Max Schachter were among the parents who hoped the structure would be saved. Tours of the building have been given. They mostly showed how things might have been safer with things like bulletproof glass in door windows, a more effective alarm system, and entrances locked from the inside.
Schachter, whose son Alex died at the age of fourteen, stated that while each trip was very difficult, he thought it was important to keep the building open since visitors learned from it and made safety changes in their own areas. According to Schachter, historical places have to remain so that people can study and comprehend what transpired.
For instance, after meeting and visiting with the Parkland families, legislators in Utah authorized a school safety program worth millions of dollars this year. Security at school entrances, threat reporting software, armed teachers, and panic buttons were also recommended.
The father of Gina Montalto, whose daughter died in the tragedy at the age of fourteen, wants a permanent monument to replace the temporary one.
The 20-year-old structure could not be destroyed sooner because jurors were given a tour of it during the sentencing trial of the gunman in 2022.
Broward sheriff’s officers made many house calls to Nikolas Jacob Cruz‘s residence due to his lengthy history of strange and aggressive conduct. Cruz had previously attended the school but was kicked out in 2017 due to disciplinary issues.
From an early age, Cruz struggled with emotional and behavioral problems. He was found to have oppositional defiant disorder, depression, autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD, and autism. He acted violently because of these untreated mental health issues.
A life sentence without the possibility of release was handed down to him instead of the death penalty.