On February 14, 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people. The incident remains the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history, mirroring mass shootings in Paradise, Nevada, and in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in October and November 2017.
In the shooting aftermath, there were legal battles over the release of the gunman’s identity. Initially, the gunman’s name was withheld from the public, sparking debate over public transparency. Survivors and their advocates argued that knowing their identity was essential for processing trauma and seeking justice. In contrast, others raised concerns about potential media sensationalism and the risk of glorifying the shooter. These legal disputes ultimately set the stage for the recent court decision allowing survivors to claim rights to the gunman’s name.
Anthony Borges was only 15 when the incident occurred and was severely injured. Borges, now 21, was shot five times in the back and legs and collapsed in the third-floor hallway. Video shows that Cruz pointed his rifle at Borges as he lay on the floor, but unlike most of the other victims that he walked past, he did not shoot him a second time. Regardless, Borges has undergone more than a dozen surgeries and still lives in pain. The incident crushed his dreams of being a professional soccer player.
Under a settlement reached in a lawsuit, Borges, along with other victims and families, now owns the rights to the shooter’s name. This entails Cruz’s name being used in any production, movie, book, television, cable TV, or other media. Cruz is now also barred from giving any interviews without the written consent of shooting survivors and their families.
“We just wanted to shut him down so we never have to hear about him again,” Borges’ attorney, Alex Arreaza, said in June.
In addition, when she sentenced Cruz, Judge Elizabeth Scherer ordered that any money placed in his prison commissary account be seized to pay restitution to the victims and their families for court and investigation costs. In total, that would be millions of dollars. Arreaza said he feared that, without the settlement, Cruz could assign any money he might receive to a relative or other person. Although he is under life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, such an arrangement would allow his family to profit from his notoriety.
Borges and other family members of slain students would split a $400,000 annuity Cruz’s late mother left him if he ever received it. Each of them made statements saying they would donate their share to charities. Borges’ attorney has said his client needs the money for future medical expenses.
However, negotiations over dividing a $25 million settlement with Broward County schools engendered animosity. The families insisted Borges receive $1 less than themselves to acknowledge they suffered a greater loss. Borges would not budge, and Arreaza believed that Borges additionally deserved $5 million from that pot because of his medical expenses. The ensuing fight resulted in Borges being kicked out of that group.
“The Borgeses are tired of being treated like second-class citizens,” Arreaza said after the hearing. “We never wanted to air that out before, but the reality is that they threw us out of the group because they wanted to dictate what we are supposed to get, and the Borgeses have every right to ask for what they asked for.”
David Brill, the lead attorney for the Pollack, Hoyer, and Petty families and Wilford, accused Arreaza of insulting the families by telling them he was tired of hearing about their dead loved ones. He alleges that he exaggerated how much Borges’ future medical costs will be.
The two parties split, and the other families pursued a $127 million settlement with the FBI over their failure to investigate reports about Cruz’s plans for the mass shooting while Borges reached his settlements.
Nonetheless, they all have a pending lawsuit against fired Broward County sheriff’s deputy Scot Peterson, who was assigned to the school. Even though Peterson was acquitted of criminal charges last year, they allege that Peterson failed to pursue Cruz during his six-minute rampage. The sheriff’s office and two former school security guards are also being sued. A trial date for that lawsuit has not been set.
The tragic events of February 14, 2018, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have left an enduring mark on the community and the nation as a whole. While the legal battles surrounding the shooter’s identity have been contentious, meaningful gains are being pursued in the ongoing struggle for closure and accountability.
The case of Anthony Borges exemplifies the multifaceted impact of such tragedies. His physical and emotional scars serve as a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of gun violence. The legal victories he and other victims have achieved, including securing rights to the shooter’s name and financial compensation, are significant steps towards justice. However, the lingering animosity and divisions among the victim community underscore the challenges of navigating the aftermath of such a traumatic event. Conversations regarding the monetary value one can put on human life are always emotionally charged and vexed.
As the legal proceedings continue, it is crucial to remember the human cost of these tragedies. The victims and their families deserve justice, healing, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Works Cited
Shapiro, Emily, et al. “Parkland School Shooting 6 Years Later: Remembering the 17 Victims.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 14 Feb. 2024, abcnews.go.com/US/teacher-coach14-year-freshman-florida-high-school-massacre/story?id=53092879.
Spencer, Terry. “Families Settle Court Battle over Who Owns Parkland Killer’s Name and Likeness.” The Independent, The Independent, 4 Nov. 2024, www.the-independent.com/news/nikolas-cruz-ap-families-parkland-fort-lauderdale-b2641256.html.
Spencer, Terry. “Rift between Parkland Massacre Survivor and Some Families of the Dead Erupts in Court.” The Independent, The Independent, 5 Sept. 2024, www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/nikolas-cruz-ap-parkland-fort-lauderdale-marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-school-b2607957.html.
Spencer, Terry. “Survivor of Parkland School Massacre Wins Ownership of Shooter’s Name in Lawsuit Settlement.” AP News, AP News, 28 June 2024, apnews.com/article/parkland-stoneman-douglas-shooting-nikolas-cruz-99026cc37e145980dd763e1fd5b0952d.