FBI got tip on Parkland shooter on Jan. 5 but didn’t follow up

PARKLAND, Fla. — Less than six weeks before Nikolas Cruz committed one of the deadliest school shootings in American history, someone who knew him called an FBI tip line to complain about him, the agency revealed on Friday.

But no one followed up.

Cruz allegedly fatally shot 17 people and injured many more in a Wednesday attack on his former school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

In a statement, the FBI said “a person close to” Cruz called the agency’s public tip line on Jan. 5 and left information on 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 tip should have been “assessed as a potential threat to life” and forwarded to the bureau’s Miami field office for investigation. “We have determined that these protocols were not followed,” the agency said.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said in that statement that the bureau is trying to figure out how the mistake occurred, particularly because the bureau asks the public to “be vigilant” against threats and share them with authorities.

He also acknowledged the pain the revelation will cause victims, survivors and their families.

“We have spoken with victims and families, and deeply regret the additional pain this causes all those affected by this horrific tragedy,” Wray said.

Chris Grady, a 19-year-old senior who survived the shooting, said the victims “might be alive today if they had done their job.”

“Our government is failing us,” Grady said. “They need to do their freaking jobs. I’m sorry, but this is so infuriating.”

Image: Nikolas Kruz Image: Nikolas Kruz

Nikolas Cruz poses in a picture posted to his Instagram account which was verified by the Miami Herald. via Instagram

Ryan Servaites, a 15-year-old freshman who was trapped in the school auditorium when the shooting started, said, “It makes everybody here really, really angry that the FBI didn’t follow the proper protocols. This should never have happened.”

Since the shooting, students and teachers and former neighbors have described a troubled, recently orphaned young man fascinated with guns and killing animals who had been expelled from Douglas for carrying bullets in his backpack and for fighting.

And a YouTube user came forward to say that he reported to the FBI a comment left on one of his videos by a person who called himself “nikolas cruz” who wrote, “Im going to be a professional school shooter.”

Corky Siemaszko reported from Parkland, Florida, Michael Kosnar from Washington and Jon Schuppe from New York.