February 14, 2018, 17 students and teachers were brutally murdered at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida by a 19 year old named Nikolas Cruz. To commit this heartless massacre, he used an AR-15, a military grade weapon. An in-depth trial occurred to determine his punishment. As this made national news, school boards took notice of this and immediately altered their guidelines and safety procedures to ensure students safety in their district. Days after the incident took place, the Age 21 Act was placed to alter the legal age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21 years old. After this tragedy many questions arose of how the school did not see it coming.

    Not much of his home life was revealed until after this incident occurred and what could have provoked him to do it. Danielle Woodard, Cruz’s sister, shared the children’s abuse from their mother throughout their life. Woodward is currently incarcerated for an alleged car-jacking attempt in 2020.

    It was revealed that copious amounts of drinking, and heavy drug abuse occurred during their mothers pregnancy and while raising her children causing Cruz and Woodward to be born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. FASD is known to cause violent and criminal behavior, mental disabilities and poor judgment. Cruz’s mother also suffers from serious mental health disorders which inflicted emotional and physical abuse on her children.

   After presenting these claims on his trial, it caused the courthouse to question if growing up with a neglective and abusive mother led him to commit this devious act. Cruz pleaded insanity but after multiple psychological evaluations, the outcome was that he was in his right state of mind during the acts.