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Parkland shooting: Police capture gunman who left 'numerous fatalities' after opening fire at a Florida high school Parkland shooting: Police capture gunman who left 'numerous fatalities' after opening fire at a Florida high school
(about 1 hour later)
As many as 14 people are said to have been injured after a shooting at a high school in Florida - the latest incident of gun violence to rock America. Multiple people have been killed and more than a dozen injured after a former student entered a Florida high school and opened fire.
Police rushed to respond to an active shooter at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and warned residents to stay away from the area until the area is secured. In the latest incident of gun violence to rock the US - there have reportedly been 18 school shootings so far in 2018 - police said a young man man entered the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, north of Miami, and began firing. He was subsequently named by US media as 19-year-old ex-student Nicolas Cruz.
Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said that there were "numerous" fatalities, but that he was not immediately certain how many. Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said that there were "numerous" fatalities, but that he was not immediately certain how many. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, when asked how many fatalities there were, simply said "multiple".
This is a day "you pray... that you will never have to see," Mr Runcie told CNN. "We cannot live in a world that's built on fear." "There are numerous fatalities. It's a horrific situation," Mr Runcie told reporters.
President Donald Trump said on Twitter: "Just spoke to Governor Rick Scott. We are working closely with law enforcement on the terrible Florida school shooting." "It is a day that you pray every day that you never have to see,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “We didn’t have any phone calls or threats that we know of that were made. We cannot live in a world built on fear, we have do what we can to provide the greatest safety measures for our kids.”
The school was placed on lock down, and local news reported that a number of people could be seen being loaded into ambulances on a stretcher. Other students could be seen running to police safety outside of the school, where they all dumped their backpacks in a pile and were told to sit on the grass. When asked if the incident was related to mental health, Mr Runcie said: "No sane person is going to go and commit such an atrocity.
At around 4.15pm, police said the shooter had been taken into custody. Local news reported that a number of people could be seen being loaded into ambulances on a stretcher soon after the shooting. Other students could be seen running to police safety outside of the school, where they all dumped their backpacks in a pile and were told to sit on the grass.
"Shooter is now in custody. Scene is still active," the Broward County Sheriff department said in a tweet at around 4.12pm. At around 4.15pm, police said the shooter had been taken into custody after being tracked down without incident. The shooter was later identified by local media and the Associated Press as Mr Cruz.
The Miami Herald said there was at least one fatality. Florida Senator Bill Nelson told CNN he had been informed by school officials in the state there were "a number of fatalities". He said officials believed they were dealing with a single shooter.  "We were told last year that he wasn't allowed on campus with a backpack on him," Jim Gard, a math teacher at the school who said he taught Mr Cruz last year, told the Miami Herald of Mr Cruz. "There were problems with him last year threatening students, and I guess he was asked to leave campus."
The school day at Stoneman Douglas ends at 2.40pm, and the first tweet from the Broward County Sheriff's Department about the incident came at 2.53pm. The school day at Stoneman Douglas typically ends at 2.40pm, and the first tweet from the Broward County Sheriff's Department about the incident came at 2.53pm.
One student was texting with a CBS reporter from inside a closet in the school, and described a chaotic scene.One student was texting with a CBS reporter from inside a closet in the school, and described a chaotic scene.
"All of a sudden there was a really loud noise... people are crying in the closet," the student told the reporter."All of a sudden there was a really loud noise... people are crying in the closet," the student told the reporter.
  Students and their parents told how children hid in classrooms until they were rescued by armed police in tactical gear.
  McKenzie Hartley, who identified herself as the sister of a student at the school described the scene in a text message to Reuters: “She heard him shooting through the windows of classrooms and two students were shot.”
It was not immediately clear who the shooter was. Reports indicated that at least one person was killed in the shooting, and CBS Miami have reported that there may be as many as seven fatalities. “My daughter, as of right now, she’s still trapped in a closet. She’s afraid to speak,” a man who identified himself as Caesar Figueroa and said his daughter was inside the school, told CBS News.
“I told her, ‘Don’t call me, because I don’t want no one to hear your voice.’ So, she’s still trapped in a closet in there.”
Aerial footage from local news showed a number of people lying on the ground outside the school, and being treated for injuries. Meanwhile, dozens of emergency vehicles responded to the scene, including a tank and armed law enforcement.Aerial footage from local news showed a number of people lying on the ground outside the school, and being treated for injuries. Meanwhile, dozens of emergency vehicles responded to the scene, including a tank and armed law enforcement.
The White House says that President Donald Trump has been made aware of the situation in Florida, according to Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Walters. President Donald Trump said on Twitter: "Just spoke to Governor Rick Scott. We are working closely with law enforcement on the terrible Florida school shooting."
"We are monitoring the situation," Ms Walters said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected." Those sentiments were echoed by Mr Scott, as well as Florida's Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson.
"I've spoken with @BrowardSheriff Scott Israel, @browardschools Superintendent Robert Runice, and FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen regarding Stoneman Douglad High School. We'll continue to receive updates from law enfrocement," Mr Scott wrote on Twitter.
"Just spoke to Broward School Superintendent," Mr Rubio tweeted. "Today is that terrible day you pray never comes."