Surveillance Footage Aids Police in Florida School Shooting

Surveillance Footage Aids Police in Florida School Shooting

Video from the school's surveillance system has helped police put together a timeline of events on the day of the shooting.

On Wednesday, February 14, a 19-year-old male entered a building of his old high school, climbed to the third floor and pulled the fire alarm. As students began to flood the hallways, he began to open fire upon them killing 17 and injuring a dozen more.

Police responded to the scene quickly and only had a few short minutes to decide how to approach the deadly events unfolding. In order to give themselves a better idea of what they were dealing with, they gained access to the school's surveillance system.

Closed-circuit surveillance cameras helped police track the gunman's movements through the school that day, giving authorities a way to time stamp when the gunman entered the school, his movements as he moved from the third floor, to the second floor and back again, firing his AR-15-style gun the whole time, and, finally, when he ultimately left the school.

The footage, however, was not as helpful in real-time as they had hoped it would be, as the surveillance system played on a 20-minute delay. Officers, FBI and SWAT team members were operating blind as they moved into the school, escorting students out and helping those who were wounded.

Footage taken by students inside the school building at the time of the incident will also help police put together a comprehensive time line of the shooting. Several students used smartphone applications Snapchat and Instagram as well as the camera on their smartphones to document the events unfolding around them.

The footage is disturbing, but shows the actions of teachers and students in real-time as the shooter made his way in and out of classrooms and through hallways. Students also shared video of police entering classrooms and auditoriums to escort students out of the building when the grounds had been deemed "safe."

Here's the timeline of events according to Broward Sheriff Scott Israel:

2:06 PM: Uber picks up the suspect.

2:19 PM: Uber drops the suspect off at Stoneman Douglas High School.

2:21:18 PM: Suspect enters the east stairwell of Building 12 with rifle in a black, soft rifle case.

2:21:30 PM: Suspect exits stairwell with rifle removed from the rifle case.

2:21:33 PM: Suspect has rifle ready and begins shooting into classrooms. Suspect then takes the west stairwell to the second floor and shoots into a classroom there.

2:24:39 PM: Suspect takes takes the east stairwell to the third floor.

2:27:37 PM: Suspect enters the third floor stairwell, drops the rifle and backpack and runs down the stairs.

2:28:35 PM: Suspect exits the building and runs west toward the tennis courts and then heads south.

2:29:51 PM: Suspect crossed the field and runs west with others who are fleeing the area.

2:50 PM: Suspect arrives at a Walmart, goes inside and purchases a drink at the Subway inside.

3:01 PM: Suspect goes to McDonalds, sits down for a short time and then leaves on foot.

3:41 PM: Suspect is detained at 4700 Wyndham Lakes Dr., Coral Springs by an officer from Coconut Creek PD. A show up is conducted at that location by BSO homicide detectives. He is positively identified and taken into custody.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services
  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.