Remembering the victims of the Florida high school shooting
PARKLAND, Fla. — Seventeen people were killed and more than two dozen others were wounded when 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz allegedly opened fire Wednesday on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School campus in Florida. Nine survivors remain hospitalized for treatment of various injuries.
Cruz was booked into the Broward County Jail early Thursday and charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. He appeared in court for the first time Thursday and was ordered held without bond. The incident is the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in five years.
Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel identified the 17 victims during a news conference Thursday evening. Many of the deceased had been named previously by friends and family, who shared their memories on social media.
Alyssa Alhadeff, 15
Alyssa Alhadeff’s cousin, Melissa Dibble, confirmed her death on Facebook Thursday morning.
According to Dibble, Alhadeff was a freshman who played soccer at the school.
Alyssa Alhadeff
Scott Beigel
Scott Beigel was a teacher at the school. His death was confirmed by his friend, Matt Hipps, on Facebook. A student told “Good Morning America” that Beigel was shot when trying to lock the door to a classroom after he had let students in.
In the post, Hipps calls Beigel his “friend, my brother, my family.”
“He died shielding his students from gunfire. He made the ultimate sacrifice to do what he so often effortlessly did; make the lives of other people better,” Hipps wrote. “I won’t say goodbye. It just hurts too much. I will see you on the other side.”
Scott Beigel
Martin Duque, 14
Martin Duque’s death was confirmed on Instagram by his brother Miguel.
Miguel posted a photo with a caption that reads in part: “Words can not describe my pain. I know you’re in a better place.”
Martin Duque
Nicholas Dworet, 17
Nicholas Dworet’s death was confirmed by his swim team on Facebook.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I/We have to announce that our family member, teammate, TS Aquatics swimmer Nick Dworet has passed away,” the post reads.
According to BBC News, Dworet’s swim partner, Daria Chiarella, changed her Facebook profile picture to a selfie she took with him. The photo has prompted an outpouring support from friends and followers.
Nicholas Dworet
Aaron Feis
Aaron Feis, who was a football coach at the school, acted as a human shield to protect students from Cruz as he fired rounds into a room, according to CBS Miami.
Feis, who was also a security guard, was struck by gunfire and later died.
“It is with Great sadness that our Football Family has learned about the death of Aaron Feis,” the MS Douglas Football team tweeted Thursday. “He died a hero and he will forever be in our hearts and memories.”
Aaron Feis
Jaime Guttenberg, 14
Jaime Guttenberg’s father, Fred, confirmed the 14-year-old’s death on social media.
Guttenberg’s parents spent Wednesday evening searching for their missing children, according to BBC News. Her brother, Jesse, returned home safely.
Her Facebook page has since been turned into a memorial.
Jaime Guttenberg
Chris Hixon
Chris Hixon was the high school’s athletic director, according to The Morning Call.
A photo from his U.S. Navy retirement ceremony was shared on social media. According to the post’s caption, Hixon is survived by his wife, Debbi, sons Thomas (Ines) and Corey and two grandchildren.
Christopher Hixon
Luke Hoyer, 15
Luke Hoyer’s death was confirmed by his aunt, Toni Stroud Brownlee, on Facebook. According to Brownlee, authorities found Hoyer on the third floor of the school.
“This has devastated our family and we’re all in shock and disbelief,” she wrote. “Our hearts are broken. Luke was a beautiful human being and greatly loved.”
Luke Hoyer
Grant Cox
Cara Loughran
Cara Loughran’s death was confirmed by a family friend, Tara Bazinsky.
Bazinsky originally shared a photo of Loughran on Facebook in desperate search of help to find her. She later updated the post by writing in part: “Cara’s parents were given the news no parent ever wants to hear at 2am. Please keep her family in your prayers. This is too horrible to even begin to process.”
Cara Loughran
Gina Montalto, 15
Gina Montalto’s death was confirmed by her mother, Jennifer, on Facebook when she changed her profile picture to be waves crashing against rocks.
Support poured in through comments over the loss of her loved one.
A photo of Montalto was widely shared by her neighbor, Michael Citron, when she did not return home following the attack.
Gina Montalto
Joaquin Oliver, 17
Joaquin Oliver’s death was confirmed by a Venezuelan journalist who was with his family when they received the news.
Oliver’s Instagram page has received an outpouring of support. Condolences were shared from friends and strangers as comments on his most recent photo.
Joaquin Oliver
Alaina Petty, 14
Alaina Petty’s family confirmed in a statement that the 14-year-old was among those killed Wednesday.
“It is impossible to sum up all that Alaina was, and meant, to her family & friends. Alaina was a vibrant and determined young woman, loved by all who knew her,” the family said. Petty served in the high school’s JROTC program and volunteered with her church. She traveled to help victims of Hurricane Irma in Florida last year.
“While we will not have the opportunity to watch her grow up and become the amazing woman we know she would become, we are keeping an eternal perspective,” the family said.
Alaina Petty
Petty Family
Meadow Pollack, 18
Meadow Pollack’s father confirmed her death to the Palm Beach Post Thursday morning. Andrew Pollack said spent several hours searching for his daughter at local hospitals following the shooting.
Meadow, a senior, planned to attend Lynn University in Boca Raton, her father told the paper. Her Facebook account has been converted into a memorial page.
Meadow Pollack
Carmen Schentrup
Carmen Schentrup’s death was reported by family members and friends on social media. Her cousin, Matt Brandow, called her “the smartest and most intelligible 16-year-old I’ve ever met.”
According to the Broward County Public School system, Schentrup was a 2017 National Merit Scholar semifinalist.
Carmen Schentrup
Peter Wang, Helena Ramsey, Alexander Schachter were the other three victims killed in the attack, authorities said during a news conference Thursday evening.
Peter Martinez and Stefan Becket contributed to this report.
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