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| Florida Agency Investigated Nikolas Cruz After Violent Social Media Posts | Florida Agency Investigated Nikolas Cruz After Violent Social Media Posts |
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| PARKLAND, Fla. — A Florida social services agency conducted an in-home investigation of Nikolas Cruz after he exhibited troubling behavior nearly a year and a half before he shot and killed 17 people at his former high school in Florida, a state report shows. | PARKLAND, Fla. — A Florida social services agency conducted an in-home investigation of Nikolas Cruz after he exhibited troubling behavior nearly a year and a half before he shot and killed 17 people at his former high school in Florida, a state report shows. |
| The agency, the Florida Department of Children and Families, had been alerted to posts on Snapchat of Mr. Cruz cutting both his arms and expressing interest in buying a gun, according to the report. After visiting and questioning Mr. Cruz at his home, the department determined that he was at low risk of harming himself or others. | The agency, the Florida Department of Children and Families, had been alerted to posts on Snapchat of Mr. Cruz cutting both his arms and expressing interest in buying a gun, according to the report. After visiting and questioning Mr. Cruz at his home, the department determined that he was at low risk of harming himself or others. |
| The report is the latest indication that Mr. Cruz was repeatedly identified by local and federal agencies as a troubled young man with violent tendencies. The F.B.I. admitted Friday that it had failed to investigate a tip called into a hotline last month by a person close to Mr. Cruz identifying him as a gun owner intent on killing people, possibly at a school. The police were called to Mr. Cruz’s house many times for disturbances over several years. | The report is the latest indication that Mr. Cruz was repeatedly identified by local and federal agencies as a troubled young man with violent tendencies. The F.B.I. admitted Friday that it had failed to investigate a tip called into a hotline last month by a person close to Mr. Cruz identifying him as a gun owner intent on killing people, possibly at a school. The police were called to Mr. Cruz’s house many times for disturbances over several years. |
| Mr. Cruz also worried officials at his former school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla., who on at least one occasion alerted a mobile crisis unit to get him emergency counseling, according to the state report. | Mr. Cruz also worried officials at his former school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla., who on at least one occasion alerted a mobile crisis unit to get him emergency counseling, according to the state report. |
| Howard Finkelstein, the Broward County public defender, whose office is representing Mr. Cruz, said the report was further evidence that Mr. Cruz needed serious help long before the shooting but did not get enough of it. | Howard Finkelstein, the Broward County public defender, whose office is representing Mr. Cruz, said the report was further evidence that Mr. Cruz needed serious help long before the shooting but did not get enough of it. |
| “This kid exhibited every single known red flag, from killing animals to having a cache of weapons to disruptive behavior to saying he wanted to be a school shooter,” Mr. Finkelstein said. “If this isn’t a person who should have gotten someone’s attention, I don’t know who is. This was a multi-system failure.” | |
| The Department of Children and Families investigated whether Mr. Cruz intended to harm himself in September 2016, when he made the alarming social media posts after an argument with his mother. Mr. Cruz, who had depression, was upset over a breakup with a girlfriend, his mother, Lynda Cruz, told investigators. The report does not say who called in the complaint. | The Department of Children and Families investigated whether Mr. Cruz intended to harm himself in September 2016, when he made the alarming social media posts after an argument with his mother. Mr. Cruz, who had depression, was upset over a breakup with a girlfriend, his mother, Lynda Cruz, told investigators. The report does not say who called in the complaint. |
| But the Department of Children and Families report shows that investigators closed the case because they found Mr. Cruz was being taken care of by his mother and was receiving mental health counseling. The investigator determined that the “final level of risk is low,” an analysis that even one of Mr. Cruz’s counselors at his school felt was premature. | But the Department of Children and Families report shows that investigators closed the case because they found Mr. Cruz was being taken care of by his mother and was receiving mental health counseling. The investigator determined that the “final level of risk is low,” an analysis that even one of Mr. Cruz’s counselors at his school felt was premature. |
| On Wednesday, Mr. Cruz, now 19, showed up at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and unleashed more than 100 rounds from a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle he purchased in February 2017, five months after the state investigation closed. | On Wednesday, Mr. Cruz, now 19, showed up at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland and unleashed more than 100 rounds from a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle he purchased in February 2017, five months after the state investigation closed. |
| The investigation, first reported by The South Florida Sun Sentinel on Friday, was obtained by The New York Times on Saturday. The state agency had petitioned a court on Friday to make the confidential records public, but the court has yet to do so. | The investigation, first reported by The South Florida Sun Sentinel on Friday, was obtained by The New York Times on Saturday. The state agency had petitioned a court on Friday to make the confidential records public, but the court has yet to do so. |
| “Based on the information at this time, this individual had no involvement with Florida’s child welfare system, including foster care,” Jessica Sims, a spokeswoman for the Department of Children and Families, said in a statement. Mr. Cruz was investigated as an adult, and the investigation appeared aimed at determining whether he was being neglected. | “Based on the information at this time, this individual had no involvement with Florida’s child welfare system, including foster care,” Jessica Sims, a spokeswoman for the Department of Children and Families, said in a statement. Mr. Cruz was investigated as an adult, and the investigation appeared aimed at determining whether he was being neglected. |
| Agency investigators identified Mr. Cruz, who had just turned 18 a few days earlier, as a “vulnerable adult due to mental illness.” Mr. Cruz was depressed and had autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, the report said. He was taking medication for the A.D.H.D., which he took regularly. It was unclear whether he was taking anything for the depression, according to the report. | Agency investigators identified Mr. Cruz, who had just turned 18 a few days earlier, as a “vulnerable adult due to mental illness.” Mr. Cruz was depressed and had autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, the report said. He was taking medication for the A.D.H.D., which he took regularly. It was unclear whether he was taking anything for the depression, according to the report. |
| After the argument with his mother, an investigator visited the family’s home in Parkland, which was clean, clutter-free and did not present any foul odors. The investigator did not see the cuts on Mr. Cruz’s arms: He was wearing long sleeves. | After the argument with his mother, an investigator visited the family’s home in Parkland, which was clean, clutter-free and did not present any foul odors. The investigator did not see the cuts on Mr. Cruz’s arms: He was wearing long sleeves. |
| “Mr. Cruz stated that he plans to go out and buy a gun,” the report states. “It is unknown what he is buying the gun for.” | “Mr. Cruz stated that he plans to go out and buy a gun,” the report states. “It is unknown what he is buying the gun for.” |
| His mother, who died in November, told investigators she attributed Mr. Cruz’s behavior to “a breakup with a girl.” | His mother, who died in November, told investigators she attributed Mr. Cruz’s behavior to “a breakup with a girl.” |
| Ms. Cruz “stated that she and the girl’s mother told the kids they had to end the relationship because it was unhealthy for everyone,” the report said. Neither the girl nor her mother are named in the report. | Ms. Cruz “stated that she and the girl’s mother told the kids they had to end the relationship because it was unhealthy for everyone,” the report said. Neither the girl nor her mother are named in the report. |
| A year before, it was discovered that Mr. Cruz had a Nazi symbol and a racial slur on his book bag. His mother said that when she confronted her son about it, Mr. Cruz purported not to know what the sign meant, and she said the family had never expressed negative sentiments toward people of other races. She made him clean it off his bag. | A year before, it was discovered that Mr. Cruz had a Nazi symbol and a racial slur on his book bag. His mother said that when she confronted her son about it, Mr. Cruz purported not to know what the sign meant, and she said the family had never expressed negative sentiments toward people of other races. She made him clean it off his bag. |
| The report noted that a mental health agency had been contacted in the past to detain Mr. Cruz under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows the state to hospitalize a person for several days if they are a threat to themselves or others. The center determined that he was not a risk to himself or others. | The report noted that a mental health agency had been contacted in the past to detain Mr. Cruz under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows the state to hospitalize a person for several days if they are a threat to themselves or others. The center determined that he was not a risk to himself or others. |
| According to the report, investigators also tried to speak to a school police officer, who declined to cooperate. | According to the report, investigators also tried to speak to a school police officer, who declined to cooperate. |
| “This investigation is being closed with no indicators to support the allegations of inadequate supervision or medical neglect,” the report states. | “This investigation is being closed with no indicators to support the allegations of inadequate supervision or medical neglect,” the report states. |