Florida school shooting: Families pay tribute to victims on social media
A FOOTBALL coach who shielded students from bullets and several young teens have been named as victims of the Florida tragedy.
DEVASTATED family and friends of those killed in the Florida school shooting have taken to social media to share their heartbreak following the tragic event.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said the families of all 17 victims had been notified, however “we have some bodies that are still in the school”.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday with the FBI, emergency doctors and Florida Governor Rick Scott, Sheriff Israel said authorities were focused on the “prosecution of this killer” as a first priority.
MORE: Suspect’s chilling copycat threat
He praised high school football coach Aaron Feis who died in the shooting, saying he was adored by students.
“The kids in this community loved him, adored him. He was a phenomenal man,” he said. Earlier, the coach and security guard was named by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School football team as a victim.
“He was our Assistant Football Coach and security guard. He selflessly shielded students from the shooter when he was shot. He died a hero and he will forever be in our hearts and memories,” the team tweeted.
It is with Great sadness that our Football Family has learned about the death of Aaron Feis. He was our Assistant Football Coach and security guard. He selflessly shielded students from the shooter when he was shot. He died a hero and he will forever be in our hearts and memories pic.twitter.com/O181FvuHl3
— MS Douglas Football (@MSDEagles) February 15, 2018
Teenager Jamie Guttenberg was named by her family as a victim of the attack police believe was carried out by 19-year-old suspected shooter Nikolas Cruz.
Her father, Fred Guttenberg posted on Facebook his “heart is broken” after losing his “baby girl to a violent shooting”.
“We lost our daughter and my son Jesse Guttenberg lost his sister. I am broken as I write this trying to figure out how my family get’s through this. We appreciate all of the calls and messages and we apologise for not reacting to everyone individually.
“Jen and I will be figuring things out today and so we ask that you respect out privacy. We will be getting messages out later regarding visitation. Hugs to all and hold your children tight.”
Jamie’s Facebook page has been changed to a “Remembering” status with many friends leaving tributes saying they were “heartbroken” at the loss of the “loving” young woman.
Another teacher Scott Beigel has also been named as a hero for sheltering others. Kelsey Friend said he let a group of students into his classroom to hide when Cruz allegedly walked past and shot the teacher while he was trying to lock the door.
“I am alive today because of him. Thank you for bringing and having this amazing person in life and giving him the power to be stronger than I could have ever been,” she said.
“He will be missed by me and multiple friends, his name with me will live on.”
Tributes have also poured in for teacher Chris Hixton, the school’s athletic director.
The 49-year-old was an Iraqi war veteran was hailed a hero while friends said they remained crushed by the loss.
Sheriff Isreael said: “Those heroes gave their lives for our kids and probably helped prevent this from being a worse tragedy than it is today.”
Martin Duque, 14, has also been named as a victim by his brother Miguel on social media.
“Words cannot describe my pain. I love brother Martin you’ll be missed buddy. I know you’re in a better place. Duques forever man I love you junior!!! R.I.P. Martin Duque!” he wrote.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald wrote on Twitter that his niece went to the school and named senior student, Nicholas Dworet, as a victim.
“My niece was friends with him since kindergarten and posted her memories this morning. Such a heartbreaking loss and sickeningly avoidable tragedy,” he wrote.
Another woman, Toni Stroud Brownlee, also said her great-nephew Luke Hoyer, had been killed on the third floor.
“This has devastated our family and we’re all in shock and disbelief. Our hearts are broken. Luke was a beautiful human being and greatly loved,” she wrote.
The Miami Herald also named 14-year-old Gina Montalto as one of those killed after one of her sports coaches confirmed she had passed away.
“She was the sweetest soul ever. She was kind, caring always smiling and wanting to help,” she told the paper.
The Facebook page of Jennifer Monalto, who is believed to be her mother, has been filled with supportive tributes.
Eighteen year old senior student Meadow Pollack, who was earlier named as missing by her family, has since been confirmed as another victim.
A photo, posted by her cousin Robyn Maisner, was more than 11,100 times.
“If anyone has seen or heard from my cousin Meadow Pollack please let me or my family know — she was in Douglas. We are extremely worried. Anything helps. Please share this post,” she wrote.
The teen’s father told the Palm Beach Post his daughter had since died.
The Miami Herald had named Joaquin Oliver among the missing after their families posted on Facebook asking for information.
However it has since been confirmed Joaquin, who became a US citizen last year, was also killed.
Alaina Petty, 14, is another confirmed victim after her aunt Claudette McMahon Joshi confirmed the tragic news.
Fellow student Cara Loughran was also confirmed dead by her neighbours.
“It is with a heavy heart and much regret that I write these words. Our next-door neighbour’s daughter was one of the lives taken to soon by a senseless act of violence at Stoneman Douglas High School. RIP Cara, and fly with the angels. You will be greatly missed, and we will always love you and celebrate your beautiful life.”
Keen athlete Alyssa al-Hadeff was also named as another victim with her grandmother telling Miami television she was a “loved and well respected member of our club” who would be “greatly missed.”
Other victims include Carmen Schentrup, a 2018 National Merit Scholar semi-finalist.
Student Peter Wang, 15 is also among the dead, Reuters reported.
Peter’s cousin, Aaron Chen, told the The Miami Herald they saw him wearing his grey uniform and holding the door open so other people could escape.
FEARS GROW FOR MISSING, INJURED
Ben Wikander, 16, was rushed to hospital after the shooting where his parents tracked him down using the Find My iPhone app. He underwent emergency surgery at Broward North.
TEENS TELL OF NARROW ESCAPE
Teenagers caught up in the shooting have revealed what happened during the moments of terror as videos emerge on social media from inside the classrooms.
One student named Alex, told South Florida News WSVN7, she was inside a class when the gunman walked past. She and others hid in a room her teacher had unlocked for them, however the teacher was shot as he tried to lock the students inside.
“So we heard our fire alarm for the second time that day which is weird,” she said. “We all got upstairs and into the classroom, and when he tried to unlock the door, me and a couple other people ran in, and as he was closing the door, he was actually shot and killed right there.”
She said the door was left open the whole time and the gunman could have walked in but students tried to hide or lie on the floor so the gunman wouldn’t notice. Alex’s mother said it made her sick to realise the teacher was killed.
My little brother just sent me this video of the swat team evacuating his classroom at stoneman douglas. So scary but glad he's safe. @nbc6 @CBSMiami @NBCNews @wsvn @CBSNews pic.twitter.com/XNTtra221q
— Melody (@Melody_Ball) February 14, 2018
“He was trying to lock the door and keep them safe and was shot,” the unnamed parent said, adding that the family had only moved to Florida from Canada a few months ago.
“The thought this would be where we would be with a school shooting is just a nightmare,” she said.
SUSPECT WAS FORMER STUDENT
Florida police say suspect Nikolas Cruz, 19, entered the school grounds and opened fire, leaving at least 17 people dead.
The former student is also alleged to have been a potential threat to students in the past. Student Daniel Huerfano told The Associated Press he remembers seeing Cruz walking around the school with his lunch bag, adding, “He was that weird kid that you see ... like a loner.”
Meanwhile Florida Senator Bill Nelson said the shooter wore a gas mask and had smoke grenades. The Democrat said in an interview with CNN that he was briefed on the attack by the FBI.
Sen Nelson said the attacker “set off the fire alarm so the kids would come pouring out of the classrooms into the hall. And there the carnage began.”
He said he did not know if the gunman had used the smoke grenades but assumed that’s why he had a gas mask on.
Maths teacher Jim Gard told the Miami Herald he though the second fire drill was strange.
“Six kids ran back into my room, and I locked the door, turned out the lights and had the kids go to the back of the room,” he said. “I told the kids to hang in there, it may still be a drill.”
— with Associated Press
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