Sheriff

911 Calls Reveal Anxiety, Frustration and Stress During Parkland School Shooting

"There's a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas," a caller who was at the school told 911 in a whisper

What to Know

  • BSO has released 911 calls related to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on Feb. 14.
  • Seventeen people were fatally shot and 16 others were injured.
  • Nikolas Cruz has been accused as the gunman in the shooting tragedy.

The feeling of anxiety, nervousness, frustration and stress are audible in the 911 calls released by the Broward County Sheriff's Office over the Parkland school shooting.

BSO on Thursday released 10 calls out of the 81 received by regional 911 operators related to the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14.

One call was made from within the school, while the rest were made by people who were outside – either because their children at school told them about the shooting or because they heard gunfire.

The call that came from within the school exhibits an ominous tone.

"911. What is your emergency?" the operator says.

"There's been shots at Stoneman Douglas. Someone's shooting up the school at Stoneman Douglas," the caller says in a whisper.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you. What's happening?" the operator responds.

In a quiet murmur, the male caller says: "There's a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas."

"Somebody is doing what? Hello? Hello?" the operator asks.

On the other side of the line, frantic breaths and panicked silence for a few seconds.

"Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is being shot up," the caller says.

"Are you at the school?" the operator asks before the caller whispers something imperceptible and abruptly hangs up.

Other calls came from parents afraid for their children's lives.

"Hello, 911 ma'am. Go ahead," a 911 operator says.

"My son is in Stoneman Douglas High School. He said he heard noises and pops and he thinks there's a shooting going on at the school," the mother says.

"OK. We do have police on scene at the school. Police is on scene there," the operator responds.

"Is it secure?" the mother asks.

"We don't have that information as yet," the operator answers.

After a breath, the mother lets out a nervous sigh. Shortly after the operator asks a few questions, the caller hangs up.

In another call, a man talks to a 911 operator while he's next to a mother who is on the phone with her daughter who is hiding in the 1200 building – where the shooting took place.

"Find out – was she able see or hear any shots fired?" the operator asks. "How many shots did they hear?"

"She doesn't know ... she's terrified right now," the man responds.

"Anything else she could say?" the operator asks.

"Nothing, no. She's afraid to talk. She's hiding right now," the man replies after asking the mother.

The man said the girl did not want to speak because she was hiding, suggesting she didn't want to make noise or bring attention.

Later in the call, the operator tells the caller to make sure everyone in the classroom remains quiet. Briefly after, the student tells her mother that police arrived.

Another call came from a man who said he lives near the school.

"911. What is your emergency?" the operator says.

"I think I hear gunshots ... it sounds like it's over towards the high school, towards Douglas," the caller says.

The caller said his house is about 300 feet away – "over where Sheriff Israel used to live."

The caller said he heard about three gunshots 10 to 15 minutes before calling 911. Once he heard four or five other shots, he immediately called 911.

"Did you notice anyone suspicious in the area?" the dispatcher asks.

"Didn't see a soul," the man replies.

Contact Us