The FBI has admitted that it did not follow up on a tip it received about the erratic behavior of Nikolas Cruz, prior to the attack at a Parkland, Fla., high school in which 17 people were killed.
In a statement issued Friday, the FBI says that on Jan. 5 someone close to Cruz contacted an FBI tip line to report concerns about him.
"The caller provided information about Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting," the FBI says.
The agency says the information should have been forwarded to the FBI's field office in Miami.
"We have determined that these protocols were not followed," the FBI says. "The information was not provided to the Miami Field Office, and no further investigation was conducted at that time."
Cruz, 19, has been charged with 17 counts of murder. A former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Cruz allegedly came back to the school Wednesday afternoon and opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle—17 were killed, and more a dozen were injured.
FBI Director Christopher Wray says the agency is working to determine why the warning about Cruz fell through the cracks.
“We are still investigating the facts," Wray says. "I am committed to getting to the bottom of what happened in this particular matter, as well as reviewing our processes for responding to information that we receive from the public. It’s up to all Americans to be vigilant, and when members of the public contact us with concerns, we must act properly and quickly.
“We have spoken with victims and families, and deeply regret the additional pain this causes all those affected by this horrific tragedy. All of the men and women of the FBI are dedicated to keeping the American people safe, and are relentlessly committed to improving all that we do and how we do it.”
