At least 15 people are dead following a shooting Wednesday afternoon at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, ABC News reported, citing “law enforcement officers on the scene.”
CNN, citing federal and local law enforcement, reported minutes later that 16 people had been killed.
The “shooter is now in custody,” the Broward County Sheriff tweeted earlier Wednesday evening.
The gunman has been identified as 19-year-old Nicolas Cruz, a former student at the school, as first reported by the Miami Herald.
Sen. Bill Nelson in Washington, who had been in touch with officials on the ground, said there were “a number of fatalities.”
“The whole place is in grief and shock,” he said on CNN.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office tweeted at 4:25 p.m. that there were “at least 14 victims.”
The Broward County schools superintendent told ABC News there were “numerous fatalities.”
Images from the helicopter of local news station WSVN showed paramedics treating patients on the ground.
Video from the scene showed students filing out of the school with their hands raised.
The FBI is offering assistance at the scene, CBS News reported.
The FBI referred all inquiries to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, which is providing updates on Twitter.
“It’s catastrophic, there really are no words,” Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel tweeted Wednesday afternoon.
Coral Springs police had advised parents to instruct students inside the school to “remain calm and barricaded until police come to their room.”
Parents described a chaotic and frightening situation as they rushed to find their children in the frantic minutes after reports of a shooting at a South Florida high school began to spread.
Caesar Figueroa says he was one of the first parents to arrive at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. He says he saw police officers bringing out big weapons as they approached the school.
Figueroa’s office is only five minutes from the school where he sends his 16-year-old daughter.
“My wife called me that there was an active shooter and the school was on lockdown. I got on the road and saw helicopters, police with machine guns. It was crazy and my daughter wasn’t answering her phone.”
According to Figueroa, she texted him that she was hidden inside a closet at school with friends: “She was in a classroom and she heard gunshots by the window. She and her friends ran into the closet.”
Another parent, Beth Feingold, says her daughter sent a text at 2:32 p.m. saying “We’re on code red. I’m fine.” But she then sent another text soon afterward saying, “Mom, I’m so scared.” The girl was later able to escape the schoolunharmed.
President Trump offered “prayers and condolences” on Twitter.
Mr. Trump said he and Florida Gov. Rick Scott are “working closely with law enforcement.”
The White House canceled its daily press briefing in the wake of the shooting.
