Philip Mudd, former CIA and FBI official burst into tears as he was asked to comment on the latest high school shooting in Florida, USA, during a TV interview.
Mr Mudd, now a CNN commentator, was discussing the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School by 19 years old Nikolas Cruz on Wednesday.
As he talked about the incident, Mr Mudd became very emotional and had to interrupt the interview.
He said: “A child of God is dead.
“Cannot we acknowledge in this country that we… we cannot accept this.”
“I can’t do it, Wolf. I’m sorry. We can’t do it.”
Nikolas Cruz, 19, was arrested shortly after barging into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School allegedly killing 17 people and injuring 50 more.
Among the 17 killed were athletic director Chris Hixon, 49, and student Jaime Guttenberg.
Jaime’s parents, Fred and Jennifer Guttenberg, initially launched an appeal on Facebook to find their two children who attended the school but the post was later removed.
The pair reportedly told local media that Jaime had died in the shooting, while her brother Jesse had made it home.
Mr Hixon was described as “the nicest guy” who would have “given you the shirt off his back”.
Coral Springs High School athletic director Dan Jacob, who knew Mr Hixon through wrestling coaching, said: “Chris is probably the nicest guy I have ever met.
“He would give you the shirt off his back. He does so much. That is terrible that it would happen to anybody. It is so senseless.”