US History's Worst School Shooting Suspect Pleads Guilty

Nicholas Cruz, the suspect in the Parkland shooting in Florida, USA, is handcuffed after pleading guilty at the Broward County Court on the 20th (local time).
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The suspect in the Parkland shooting incident in Florida, considered the worst school shooting in the United States, has pleaded guilty more than three years after the incident.

According to the Associated Press on the 20th (local time), the suspect Nicholas Cruz (23) admitted to all 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder during the trial held at Broward County Court in Florida.

In February 14, 2018, Cruz opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, located 72 km north of Miami, Florida. He had been expelled just before the incident for violating school rules.

The shooting resulted in 17 deaths and 17 serious injuries. The number of casualties surpassed that of the Columbine High School shooting in Colorado in 1999, where 15 people died.

After the incident, calls for stronger gun control grew louder. However, comprehensive gun control legislation failed due to opposition from supporters of the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms, and the Republican Party.

It has not yet been decided whether Cruz will face the death penalty or life imprisonment. In court, he said, "I regret what I did," and "I hope the survivors decide my fate."

Judge Elizabeth Scherer stated, "The 12 jurors will decide whether to impose the death penalty." The death sentence can only be imposed if all 12 jurors agree. Jury selection will begin on January 4 next year.