Parkland school shooter officially sentenced to life in prison without parole Transcript

Our big story as you’re starting your Thursday this morning, the Parkland School shooter begins his life sentence for taking the lives of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School plus the 17 people he tried to killed but survived that day.

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Yesterday, more families walking up to speak directly to the man who murdered their loved ones face-to-face. The judge’s voice broke as she began reading each victim’s name out loud along with Cruz’s 34 consecutive mandatory life sentences. But before that, the judge took a moment to thank the families who spent the last three months in the courtroom.

And as a group of people, you are so strong and so united that if anything good came out of this event, I feel, seeing you, I can know that you are all going to be okay because you have each other.

And our Jossie Carbonare has been following this trial since the beginning. She joins us now. And Jossie, a bit of relief for families now that this is all over.

… Relief now that this is all over.

Yeah, it’s definitely been an excruciating process for these family members and survivors involved with this case. It’s been more than four years, so as you can imagine, they were really ready for this to all be over. A lot of them, though, disappointed that he didn’t get the death penalty. But as the judge read those 34 counts and handed that down, that life sentence, to Nikolas Cruz, we watched the families in the courtroom. There was not a dry eye in there. A lot of people holding each other, crying and shaking their heads, even holding their breaths as each name was read out loud. You can see here, Nikolas Cruz being escorted out of the courtroom after that life sentence was handed down by the judge. Those 34 counts, Cruz will be required to serve as consecutive life sentences, 17 for those killed, and another 17 for those injured. Before that, though, we did hear those impact statements, just as we did the day prior. Many are frustrated and angry. Again, the jury didn’t agree on the death penalty. Speaking directly to Cruz for the first time.

Let this creature be erased from society, never to be heard from again. Let him wear a shock collar like the animal he is.

You will cease to exist after today. I just hope that your fellow inmates take real nice and cozy care of you.

And Cruz is now in the hands of the Department of Corrections before he will be mentally evaluated and then sent to a state prison. Reporting live, I’m Jossie Carbonare, WPBF25 News.

Jossie, thank you. We want to take a moment to remember the 14 students and the three staff members who were killed in that tragedy more than four years ago. Their families urge you to never forget their faces and their names.

We will, however, always remember, honor, and live for Alyssa, Scott, Martin, Aaron, Jaime, Chris, Luke, Cara, Gina, Joaquin, Alaina, Meadow, Helena, Alex, Carmen, Peter, and our beautiful Nicholas.

And if you ever want to go back and just read about these victims again, remember them, and also hear their family’s final statements during that trial, we have all of that on wpbf.com.