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Deputy acquitted of all charges for failing to act during deadly Parkland school shooting

Scot Peterson
Scot Peterson
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A former Florida sheriff's deputy has been found not guilty of failing to act during the 2018 Parkland high school massacre.

Fired Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson wept as Thursday's verdict was read.

The 60-year-old was the deputy assigned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School when a shooter murdered 17 people there five years ago.

Peterson arrived at the building about two minutes after the six-minute attack began.

Prosecutors had claimed he should have gone inside to stop the shooter. He had insisted he didn't know where the shots were coming from.

It was the first time a U.S. law enforcement officer had been tried for actions during a school shooting.