PARKLAND, Fla. — Three years ago, a high school in an ordinary of Florida suburb became ground zero for one of the state's most despicable crimes and darkest days.
On Feb. 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz, a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School came back to the school and began a shooting spree that left 17 dead and 17 injured in one of the bloodiest school shootings in American history.
Yet unlike previous mass shootings, Cruz's name was largely forgotten in the days following the shooting. Instead, stories of heroism emerged from the darkness put the names of ordinary people who helped to save the lives of those inside were retold on news outlets across the country.
After the tragedy, many students further distinguished themselves in becoming activists for school security. In part due to the students' activism, then-Gov. Rick Scott signed into law Florida Senate Bill 7026 that address school security and gun control.
To mark the tragedy and remember those lost, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a resolution calling for all flags in Florida to fly at half-staff. The resolution also calls for residents to pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m.
