Father of Parkland Victim Says It Won’t Be Easy, But He Will Try to Restrain Himself as Shooter Pleads Guilty Tomorrow
A father of a victim of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., made an emotional appearance on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports on Tuesday, one day before the alleged school shooter, Nikolas Cruz, is scheduled to be sentenced to plead guilty for killing 17 people and injuring 17 others.
Starting off the segment, Mitchell mentioned that 52 families directly affected by the shooting have reached a $25 million settlement with the Broward County school district. The development comes one day before Cruz, who is expected to plead guilty on Wednesday to the shooting. A jury will likely have to decide whether Cruz gets life in prison, which Cruz’s lawyers are seeking, or the death penalty, which prosecutors are seeking.
Joining Mitchell to discuss the hearing was Frank Guttenberg, who lost his 14-year-old daughter, Jamie, in the shooting.
“Jamie was a magnificent dancer, but Jamie was also a person who always just did the right thing. She was a person who fought for others, and … I hope the world remembers Jamie. I hope they remember the other 16 and remember their names and their faces and only focus on their names and their faces,” said Guttenberg. “We don’t use the name of the killer. I won’t look at his photo. I want Jamie to be remembered as the person who would have done amazing things, who should be living the best part of her life right now, but because of what that animal murderer did, she won’t get the chance. Hopefully, tomorrow, we start getting justice.”
Mitchell asked Guttenberg, “How do you brace yourself” for Wednesday’s hearing.
“That is a heck of a question. I’ve had to promise my wife that I am going to restrain myself because it’s not an easy thing to do,” he replied. “I am going to do everything in my power to sit there quietly, with my hands grasped so that they stay where they belong and know that the legal process is moving us to a place where that person is going to get what he deserves.”
Guttenberg became a vocal advocate of gun control after the horrific event, and
Guttenberg went on to say:
I spent a good part of the day yesterday at the cemetery with my daughter, asking her that question you just asked me. And asking her for guidance and for strength. And there’s a little something that Jamie and I have between us.
It’s a song. I said, if this song comes on the radio when I drive home, I know — I know you’re listening to me, and I know you’re telling me, ‘Dad, you’re going to be okay. You’re going to do what you need to do.’ My daughter, I got that message. So I can promise you, from my daughter, tomorrow I will restrain myself because I’m not going to do anything that would make things even worse.
Finally, Guttenberg called for Cruz to receive the death penalty.
Watch above, via MSNBC.
