FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — He lies on his bunk and stares at the ceiling for hours. He avoids eye contact and keeps his head down. He was heard laughing at one point, and the only thing he has asked for is a Bible.
But three weeks in solitary confinement in a Florida cell hasn’t ruined accused Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz’s appetite, according to observation reports obtained Wednesday by NBC News that give a glimpse into the day-to-day existence of the most high-profile prisoner in the Broward County Jail.
Ever since he was transferred from the infirmary to behind bars three days after the Valentine’s Day rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Cruz has pretty much devoured most of the meals he has been served, including one of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with an apple, the reports state.
Six days after the shooting that left 17 dead and sparked renewed national calls for gun control, Cruz was heard laughing during a Feb. 20 visit with his lawyer, the records revealed. It was not clear what prompted the laughter.
Otherwise, Cruz has been quiet, “cooperative” and taking his medication, the records show. He remains segregated from other inmates for his own protection.
Still, Cruz has had trouble sleeping at times, “tossing and turning” and appearing “restless,” the reports said.
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Cruz’s request for a Bible came 10 days after the Feb. 14 mass shooting and on the same day some family members visited him, according to the reports, which cover from Feb. 17 to 24.
The visitor log shows that Cruz’s attorneys have been his most frequent visitors as well as investigators and a psychologist.
The revelations came as Florida prosecutors on Wednesday presented their case for a formal indictment to a grand jury in Fort Lauderdale. Among those who testified were members of the Snead family, with whom Cruz was living at the time of the shooting.
Family attorney Jim Lewis told reporters after the Sneads’ testimony that “nobody saw this coming, nobody could predict this.” He added that “my clients are gun owners, and they’re safe gun owners.”
The first lawsuits in the case are also expected to be filed in the coming days.
Anthony Borges became the first Parkland student to file notice that he intends to sue for damages. Borges, the court papers state, was “shot five times, suffering life-threatening injuries” and remains hospitalized at Broward General Medical Center.
Cruz, 19, was arrested shortly after the shooting after he was able to escape by filing out of the school with terrified students. So far, other than the few words he has uttered during court appearances, he has made no public statements about the deadly episode.
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Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was meeting privately Wednesday with students and teachers who survived the shooting, and protesters and critics were expected to give her an earful.
Among other things, the students have been demanding a ban on the AR-15 rifle that Cruz was armed with — a proposal that both the Trump administration and the National Rifle Association oppose.
The Parkland students have also been highly critical of President Donald Trump’s suggestion that some teachers be armed to prevent further massacres.
Matthew Vann reported from Fort Lauderdale, and Corky Siemaszko reported from New York.