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Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz’s younger brother arrested for trying to break into 3 schools

BySumanti Sen
Feb 11, 2025 10:17 AM IST

Zachary Cruz was caught on school security cameras “peering inside, indicating efforts to gain unauthorized access,” the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office said.

Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz’s younger brother has been arrested for trying to break into three different schools, cops said, according to New York Post. 24-year-old Zachary Cruz was caught on school security cameras “peering inside, indicating efforts to gain unauthorized access,” the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office said.

Parkland school shooter’s younger brother Zachary Cruz (pictured) arrested for trying to break into 3 schools (Augusta County Sheriff's Office)
Parkland school shooter’s younger brother Zachary Cruz (pictured) arrested for trying to break into 3 schools (Augusta County Sheriff's Office)

Last week, Zachary was arrested “without incident” after trying to get into the Wilson Middle School, Wilson High School, and the Valley Career and Technical Center late on January 25. He was charged with trespassing and subsequently released. His hearing is set for May 1.

What are the charges against Zachary Cruz?

“I understand how troubling this situation has been for you, your families, and our community,” Sheriff Donald Smith told the schools’ families. “The safety and security of all students, staff and community members are our top priorities. I want to assure you this matter is being taken very seriously.”

Smith added that the schools have now taken heightened security measures and that cops are “monitoring any potential threats and staying in communication with school officials to ensure all necessary precautions are in place.”

Nikolas is now serving life for brutally killing 14 students and three staffers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February 2018. He was a former student of the school.

After carrying out the shooting, Nikolas fled the scene on foot. He was arrested without incident about one hour and twenty minutes later in nearby Coral Springs. Prosecutors and police went on to investigate "a pattern of disciplinary issues and unnerving behavior.”

Nikolas later agreed to donate his brain to science as part of a "unique" civil settlement with one of his victims. An attorney representing Anthony Borges, 21, who was shot five times during the attack, proposed the condition. "I figured if scientists studied his brain they might be able to figure out what created this monster," Borges' lawyer, Alex Arreaza, previously told Fox News Digital. "Maybe there was some kind of imbalance that caused this that we can prevent in the future."

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Read breaking news, latest updates from United States on topics related to politics, crime, along with national affairs. Stay up to date with news developments on Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
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