Deputy charged after staying outside during Parkland shooting

Prosecutors say the Florida deputy who failed to confront a gunman during last year’s Parkland massacre has been arrested on 11 charges.

US state attorney Mike Satz announced that 56-year-old Scot Peterson faces child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury charges.

Mr Peterson, then a Broward County deputy, was on duty during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, but never went inside.

Mr Satz says the charges carry a combined prison sentence of nearly 100 years.

Mr Peterson’s bail was set at $102,000 US dollars (€90,000).

His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Twenty-year-old Nikolas Cruz faces the death penalty if convicted of killing 17 people and wounding 17 others in the attack.

He has offered to plead guilty in return for a life sentence, but prosecutors have refused that offer. –AP

Multiple charges carry a combined prison sentence of nearly 100 years