TALLAHASSEE (970 WFLA) -- County sheriffs from around the state of Florida got together in Tallahassee Tuesday to talk about changes to prevent the next mass shooting in our state, less than a week after the carnage at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Documents released by the Department of Children and Families portray 19 year old shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz as suffering from ADHD, depression and autism during a 2016 investigation. Polk County Sheriff Gradt Judd says teachers and other school officials should be trained to use firearms in the event of an attack on campus. He says gun free zones leave children at risk.
"There will be another mass shooting," Judd said. "The question is, whether Florida will take the lead in reducing the probabilities with good law." Judd says law enforcement can never stop an active shooter. "911 doesn't work," Judd said. "We are never, ever, ever going to get there in time to beat the active shooter to the front door."
Some sheriffs are calling for expansion of the Baker Act to allow police more power to confiscate guns from someone taken into protective custody. Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says the Baker Act is not the way to deal with mass shootings. "When we do Baker Act somebody... law enforcement is powerless to remove firearms from that person's custody."
Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson says doing nothing is not an answer.
"Everyone wants to be the captain of the ship when seas are calm. Folks, the seas are not calm. It's time to do something that makes a difference."