Broward Sheriff’s Office loses bid to avoid trial over Parkland shooting response

A state appeals court denied a motion filed by the Broward Sheriff’s Office to avoid a trial over its response to the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

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Family members of the victims sued the sheriff’s office over what they say are the agency’s multiple failures and negligence after the mass shooting which killed 17 and injured 17 more.

Max Schachter, whose son Alex was killed in the 2018 shooting and is among the family members suing BSO, said he’s relieved by the court’s decision.

“Accountability is finally coming,” Schachter wrote on X in blasting Sheriff Gregory Tony for “filing baseless motions to delay our case.”

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“After more than 8 years of delay, frivolous motions, and Broward Sheriffs Office appeals, our families will finally get to face Broward Sheriff @bsosherifftony and Broward Sheriff’s Office in court,” wrote Fred Guttenberg on X. His 14-year-old daughter, Jaime, was killed in the massacre.

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BSO has not commented on the appeals court ruling, but the agency has previously responded to delays in lawsuit proceedings.

“It is understandable that the families of the victims of this senseless tragedy are frustrated at the pace of the litigation. The grounds for the filed motions and appeals are well-founded in Florida law and are not for the purpose of delay. BSO’s filings streamline the issues raised by plaintiffs and had BSO waited to assert these defenses and immunities at trial, the delay would be compounded.”

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A trial date is set for next March.