Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to massacre as his brother Zachary Cruz speaks out

Nikolas Cruz’s brother has spoken out as the Parkland shooter pleaded guilty in court, telling his victims’ families they should decide if he lives or dies.

Nikolas Cruz’s brother has told of his relief at the Parkland shooter’s guilty plea – but claimed school and state officials are “skirting responsibility” for the tragedy.

Zachary Cruz, 21, spoke to The Sun as his older brother pleaded guilty to 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the deadliest school shooting in US history.

Zachary Cruz speaks about his brother, Nikolas Cruz. Picture: BBC

In a statement to The Sun, Zachary told how he is “pleased” his brother is admitting to the Parkland school murders.

“I am pleased that my brother is taking responsibility for his actions. The fact that he is doing so without a deal in place tells me he is sincere,” he said.

“I pray for the victims and their families everyday and I hope they find some peace.”

Zachary Cruz hugs his brother Nikolas after he is arrested for the Parkland school shooting.

Despite his brother’s actions, Mr Cruz admitted he’s still “very concerned” that Broward schools and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) apparently “continue to skirt responsibility for the tragedy at Parkland.”

He thinks it’s needed for “DCF to explain why they came to my mom’s hospital room when she died but then didn’t check to make sure my brother and I were taken to a safe place.”

Nikolas and Zachary Cruz as children.

“I also think DCF and Broward schools must answer for dumping my brother when they knew he needed services and they knew he’d be dangerous without them,” Zachary added.

“My regret today is that DCF and Broward schools have evaded yet another opportunity for the public to learn the truth.”

People are brought out of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after a former student opened fire and killed 17 at the school in Parkland, Florida.

A Broward County spokesperson told The Sun: “The District does not comment on potential, pending or ongoing litigation.”

NIKOLAS CRUZ ‘SORRY’ FOR SHOOTINGS

Following his guilty pleas, Cruz, who is now 23, apologised to the relatives of his victims.

“I am very sorry for what I did and I have to live with it every day,” he said. “It brings me nightmares.” “If I were to get a second chance I would do everything in my power to try to help others,” he said.

Addressing relatives of the victims, Cruz said, “I believe it’s your decision to decide where I go, whether I live or die, not the jury’s.” Relatives of some of the victims were among the spectators in the courtroom and wiped away tears as a prosecutor recounted the attack in chilling detail.

Last week, Judge Elizabeth Scherer accepted that Nikolas Cruz wanted to change his plea in the case.

On October 15, Cruz appeared in court wearing chinos, a blue sweater and a white shirt before entering his guilty plea to a separate battery assault charge involving an attack on a jail guard.

Fernanda Mora (L) an alumna from Deerfield Beach high school and Vallery Cruz a senior at the school hug in front of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

In the murder and attempted murder charges, he will receive either the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

Authorities claim that Cruz confessed to the Valentine’s Day 2018 massacre at a suburban high school in Florida.

Cruz, who was 19 at the time of the shooting, was apprehended approximately an hour after the attack with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle.

Nikolas Cruz, the suspect in a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

His lawyers have repeatedly offered to plead guilty in return for a guaranteed sentence of life in prison, but prosecutors have refused to drop their pursuit of the death penalty.

A guilty plea would both avoid a traumatic, lengthy trial and still allow a jury to decide Cruz’s fate, the defence has argued.

Cruz allegedly killed 17 people and injured 17 more during the tragic school shooting with a semiautomatic rifle that has since been referred to as the deadliest high school shootings in American history.

He was a student at the school at the time of the shooting and had a history of mental health and behavior problems.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and is republished here with permission