Proudly incompetent Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel has delayed, deflected and stonewalled ever since it became apparent that his deputies bungled the response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre on Valentine’s Day. He made sure to wait until after the choreographed, circus-like CNN “town hall” to release the information that his school resource officer, Scot Peterson, chose to remain outside the school, listening to the sound of gunfire and screaming victims.

It eventually came out that not one, but a total of four of Broward County’s finest took up positions outside the school while Nikolas Cruz murdered un-armed innocents inside. And that detail only came to light when responding officers from other departments complained about the bumbling Broward deputies’ tactics.

Sheriff Israel’s latest outrage: refusing to release security video from outside the school…video that would reveal exactly what his men did that day and when they did (or didn’t) do it.

But Israel’s refusal to release the video was challenged in court by the Miami Herald, Florida Sun-Sentinel and other media outlets. Today, a county judge ordered Sheriff Israel to cough up the footage.

The media should be allowed to obtain the security video from outside last month’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Broward Circuit Judge Jeffrey R. Levenson ruled Monday.

He signed an order Monday afternoon authorizing the video’s release, but immediately placed a stay on the order until Thursday to give the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the School Board a chance to appeal.

Israel hung his refusal to release the video on the fact that it was part of an ongoing investigation.

Dana McElroy, attorney for the media organizations who want access to the video, argued that its release is crucial for a thorough and transparent analysis of the law enforcement response to the shooting.

For his part, Sheriff Israel has been claiming reports of those other three officers refusing to enter the school is just so much #fakenews.

Israel has denied allegations that other deputies refused to go into the school to confront the shooter.

If that were the case, you’d expect him to be anxious to release any evidence, particularly video of the scene, that might back up his claim. We’ll be watching to see if either the school district or the sheriff appeals the ruling.

 

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31 COMMENTS

    • I was thinking exactly the same thing, exactly what happened when a cop popped 16 rounds into a dude that was flat on his back in the road. The security footage was taken by the police and promptly lost.

    • The story now is that the officers did not refuse to go in, but instead were ordered by the captain in charge to establish a perimeter, which SUPPOSEDLY included Peterson. I do not know (and rather doubt) that the captain who issued the order was even on site at the time.

  3. They already have the shooter. How can releasing the video harm the rest of the investigation? It’s not like it would be their only copy.

    • Danny…… The liberal sheriff will claim that in national security interest he cannot release the video footage. If that doesn’t work then he will say that the footage was erased by the Russians and they were colluding with the NRA.

    • When law abiding citizens fended for themselves until the cops came, and weren’t considered criminals. . .

    • For my 50 years of life cops have always been scum different from the criminals in that I am forced to pay their bloated salaries with my tax money.

        • not necessarily. i have never been cuffed or done time yet in many ways i agree with him at least when it comes to cops here in australia. i have just simply seen too much of the corruption that goes on and i have ha family in the police force and they say the same. one of them even had death threats put on not just himself but his whole family because “he knew too much” about 1 particular detective that was investigating some of the biggest drug rings in the country….. run by cops! that particular cop was killed outside his home by cops though someone else was blamed. this is just one example and is the reason why i would not become a cop myself not to mention the unlawful laws i would be expected to enforce. do you know the difference between legal and lawful?

  6. ” Placed a STAY on release until Thursday ”
    Gun Bill VOTE , U.S. House will be on Wednesday ….. H.R. 4909 , a very poor school safety bill is to be combined with the equally BAD …” FIX-NICS ” pushed by socialists Shumer + Finestine. ….. so you can see the need for the DELAY in video release.
    Rep. Thomas Massie explains in short video & asks WE ALL call OUR REPS .. 202-224-3121 ,and Paul Ryan – Kevin McCarthy , GOP House Leadership . to LOUDLY OPPOSE this crapola.

    https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/972669160089059328

  7. And the “outstanding leadership” continues, you folks in Broward County are so fortunate to have Sheriff Israel.

    Are recall elections a thing in Florida?

  10. Israel doesn’t want anyone to know that the second vehicle on the scene was delivering Dunkin’ Donuts.

  12. This man is such a fool. The people of Broward County unfortunately get what they constantly vote for.
    Libitards and worse this one in uniform…..Palm Beach isn’t much further behind. As we get even more immigrants from the North Eastern Block here every month. Im almost ashamed to live here. Almost but not yet. I still can use my motorcycle or trike almost all year. But no place to shoot my rifles here.

  14. Good. I wish more shame could be heaped on them but instead the media has focused on inanimate objects.

  15. I am offended by the constant criticism of Sheriff “Izzy Big Ears” Israel and his amazing leadership of the Coward County Sheriffs Office. He will take action to address the deficiencies, that were not his responsibility, in his department’s response to the unfortunate incident with the misunderstood youth at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. All Coward County Sheriff’s office vehicles will be equipped with tactical lawn chairs and all sworn personnel will receive intensive training in the use of 12 volt popcorn poppers. They will be adequately prepared to not interfere at the next mass shooting.

  16. The gun community has been saying for decades you can’t rely on the police. Now the entire nation knows this as well. Unfortunately so do the terrorists who are coming because of the open borders policy of the Libertarians, Liberals and the Left. The refusal of the cops to help stop the murder of American children is a lesson our enemies are learning.

    A Beslin Russia school type attack is now possible because law enforcement did nothing to stop it.
    Osama bin Laden said America was a paper tiger when President Clinton pulled out of Somalia.

  17. two possibilities here:
    (a)the footage has not been released yet because there is none to release;
    (b)the footage is being held back so that it can be altered/’edited’ to make it more credible.

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