FBI: We Goofed on Florida School Shooter

The FBI got a detailed tip from someone close to the suspected school shooter in Florida in January but did nothing with it because the information was never passed on to the bureau's Miami office, the FBI said Friday..On January 5 a caller provided the FBI's tipline with details that should have triggered an immediate investigation of Nikolas Cruz — 40 days before Cruz shot up his former high school in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people.."The caller provided information about Cruz's gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting," the FBI said in a written statement..In recent days, some current and former FBI officials have said a report the FBI got of an online message Cruz apparently wrote last year saying that he intended to become "a professional school shooter" was too vague to form the basis of a formal investigation and that he could not be located using the investigative techniques open to agents under FBI protocols..But Friday's revelation turns that explanation on its head.."Under established protocols, the information provided by the caller should have been assessed as a potential threat to life. The information then should have been forwarded to the FBI Miami Field Office, where appropriate investigative steps would have been taken," the FBI said..The new information is leading to an FBI investigation, and may lead to an investigation of the agency itself.."We are still investigating the facts. I am committed to getting to the bottom of what happened in this particular matter, as well as reviewing our processes for responding to information that we receive from the public," FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a written statement. "It's up to all Americans to be vigilant, and when members of the public contact us with concerns, we must act properly and quickly.."We have spoken with victims and families, and deeply regret the additional pain this causes all those affected by this horrific tragedy. All of the men and women of the FBI are dedicated to keeping the American people safe, and are relentlessly committed to improving all that we do and how we do it."

FBI: We Goofed on Florida School Shooter

Related Stories