Demolition Begins on Parkland School Building Where Mass Shooting that Killed 17 Took Place
Officials tore down the school in Parkland, Fla., where 14 students and three teachers were killed on Feb. 14, 2018
Six years ago, the 1200 building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., was the scene of carnage, broken dreams and despair when a gunman opened fire in 2018, killing 17 people.
On Friday, demolition finally began on the building, which drew onlookers, including some family members of some of the victims who died when Nikolaz Cruz, 25, opened fire in one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history.
They watched as an excavator tore through the three-story building, the Associated Press reports.
Victims’ families were invited to watch the demolition and were even given the opportunity to chip off a piece of the building themselves, the AP reports.
“I’d like to see it gone,“ Dylan Persuad, who lost seven friends and his teacher, Scott Beigel, in the shooting, said, the Associated Press reports. “It puts a period on the end of the story. They should put a nice memorial there for the 17.”
Broward County Public Schools said in a statement that it plans to finish the project in the next few weeks before students return to school in August.
Related: Jury Rejects Death Penalty for Parkland School Shooter, Who Gets Sentenced to Life Without Parole
The building stood empty because it was considered evidence during the penalty phase of Cruz’s trial, the AP reports.
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole, avoiding the death penalty.
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In its statement, Broward County Public Schools said it began the demolition “immediately following” the conclusion of the school year.
“Broward County Public Schools reached this decision in consultation with health and safety experts, and out of concern for the well-being of students and staff on campus,” the release says.
Members of the community and parents who lost loved ones that day are glad the building is being torn down.
Related: Jury Rejects Death Penalty for Parkland School Shooter, Who Gets Sentenced to Life Without Parole
“It’s important for that building to be taken down, so not only can I start to heal but also the community at large,” Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa, 14, died in the shooting, told The New York Times. “That building is a reminder of the horrific tragedy where 17 people were murdered in school.”
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