SHOCKER

Parkland Shooting Suspect Nikolas Cruz Charged With Assaulting Jail Officer

Cruz allegedly hit the officer in the face and grabbed his electroshock weapon.

Nikolas Cruz—who is accused of killing 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, earlier this year—has been charged with assault and battery of an officer for attacking a jail guard and taking his electroshock weapon, authorities said Wednesday. According to an affidavit, the 20-year-old assaulted the deputy after he was told to “not drag his sandals on the ground” in a day room. Cruz “rushed” at the officer and “struck him in the face,” according to the affidavit. At some point, Cruz grabbed the officer’s “conductive electronic weapon,” which discharged during the fight, the report says. Cruz is being held in the Broward Sheriff’s Office main jail in Fort Lauderdale while he awaits a death penalty trial on 34 counts of premeditated murder and attempted murder for the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.