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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNikolas Cruz punched home's walls, threatened to return with gun months before shooting
LANTANA, Fla. - Shortly after the death of his mother, Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz was living with his mother's friend in Lantana, where deputies were called after Cruz got into a fight with her 22-year-old son and was threatening to get his gun and come back, according to documents obtained Thursday by Local 10 News.
According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office offense report from Nov. 29, Rock Deschamps called 911 after Cruz "began punching walls and breaking items inside the home."
Deschamps told deputies that Cruz punched him in his jaw when he tried to calm the 19-year-old down.
"Cruz bought a gun from Dick's last week and is now going to pick it up," Deschamps' mother told a 911 dispatcher, according to a log of the call contained in the report.
The woman went on to tell the dispatcher that Cruz "bought tons of ammo," has "used a gun against (people) before" and "has put the gun to others' heads in the past."
According to the offense report, Cruz told deputies that "he became upset because he misplaced a picture of his mother who recently passed away."
Cruz, who ran to a nearby park after the fight, told deputies that he punched the wall, but he said Deschamps punched him first "because he was breaking things."
"He said he was sorry for losing his temper," the report said.
Deschamps told deputies that he didn't want Cruz to go to jail because he "has been going through a lot with his loss" and signed a refusal to prosecute form.
There is no reference to guns in the offense report, but the dispatch log indicates that Cruz told deputies there were guns inside the home.
https://www.local10.com/news/parkland-school-shooting/nikolas-cruz-punched-homes-walls-threatened-to-return-with-gun-months-before-shooting
SoCalMusicLover
(3,194 posts)After all, he was a good guy with a gun. Perhaps he lost his temper every now and then, but no way would he ever do something horrible. Just a gun lover enjoying his 2nd Amendment rights, so the cops let him keep his precious.
yagotme
(2,919 posts)All these red flags, and nobody in law enforcement "did" anything. He should have been in prison, not walking around a school shooting. An assault conviction would (should?) have landed him on the NICS list. He wouldn't have been able to buy that rifle even if he had been let out.
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)This should be the policy generally for assault and battery.
yagotme
(2,919 posts)you would fall under the Lautenberg law. Even a misdemeanor will get you banned from owning guns.