Skip to main content
Thunderstorms icon
94º
WJXT logo

Go to the WJXT homepage

Join Insider
    • News
    • Watch Live
    • Local News
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • National
    • Politics & Power
    • Politics
    • I-Team
    • Trust Index
    • Community
    • Health
    • Money
    • Education
    • Consumer
    • Entertainment
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • Weather News
    • Traffic
    • SnapJAX
    • Skycams
    • Alerts
    • Hurricanes
    • Plan and Prepare
    • Georgia
    • St. Augustine
    • Environment
    • Forecasting Change
    • News4JAX+
    • Watch Live
    • News4JAX Insider
    • How To Watch News4JAX+
    • Download News4JAX Apps
    • The Morning Show
    • River City Live
    • Podcasts
    • This Week In Jacksonville
    • Business Edition
    • NEXTGEN TV
    • TV Listings
    • Florida Justice
    • Sports
    • Sports Videos
    • Jaguars
    • Jaguars Stats
    • News4JAGS Podcast
    • Gators Breakdown
    • Gators Stats
    • High School Sports
    • Varsity 4
    • Going Ringside Podcast
    • V4rsity Podcast
    • All Star Athlete
    • Olympics
    • Features
    • News4JAX Insider
    • JAXBest
    • Florida Justice
    • 4 Your Neighborhood
    • Events Calendar
    • Positively JAX
    • River City Live
    • Deals4JAX
    • News4JAX+
    • Women’s History Month
    • Look Local
    • Travel
    • Jacksonville Image Awards
    • Food & Recipes
    • Live Healthy
    • Contests & Rules
    • Talking Health
    • Pets
    • uSay Voting
    • River City Live
    • Watch River City Live
    • River City+
    • Eats & Treats
    • Beats
    • Wellness
    • Local Spotlight
    • Pets
    • Shopping
    • SnapJAX
    • SnapJAX Stories
    • Breaking News Photos
    • Newsletters
    • Sign Up For Newsletters
    • WJXT
    • Contact Us
    • Help Center
    • Careers at WJXT/WCWJ
    • SnapJAX
    • Meet the Team
    • Advertise with us
    • CW17
    • CW Program Guide
    • Bounce
  • News
  • Weather
  • News4JAX+
  • Sports
  • Features
  • River City Live
  • SnapJAX
  • Newsletters
  • WJXT
  • CW17
News4JAX.com
  • News
  • Weather
  • News4JAX+
  • Sports
  • Features
  • River City Live
  • SnapJAX
  • Newsletters
  • WJXT
  • CW17
  • LIVE

WEATHER ALERT

4 advisories in effect for 3 regions in the area

MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL


No description available

Students from 2 Florida shootings demand the governor reject a law to lower the gun purchasing age

Read full article: Students from 2 Florida shootings demand the governor reject a law to lower the gun purchasing age

Students who experienced a shooting at both Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 and Florida State University days ago have sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis demanding he reject a law that would lower the firearm purchase age back to 18 years old.

No description available

Florida House approves bill to lower rifle purchase age to 18

Read full article: Florida House approves bill to lower rifle purchase age to 18

A bill that emerged after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting in Parkland may see some changes. In 2018, the state increased the age limit to 21 for purchasing a rifle or long gun. However, the Florida House recently approved a bill to lower the age back to 18.

No description available

Threat amid 7-year mark of Parkland massacre sparks increased police presence at Clay County schools

Read full article: Threat amid 7-year mark of Parkland massacre sparks increased police presence at Clay County schools

Parents and students in Clay County may notice an increased police presence at schools today following a threat discovered in a bathroom at Oakleaf High School.

No description available

Debbie Mayfield’s attempt to return to Florida Senate highlights loophole in state’s term limits

Read full article: Debbie Mayfield’s attempt to return to Florida Senate highlights loophole in state’s term limits

Florida Rep. Debbie Mayfield has announced her candidacy for Florida Senate District 19, a seat she previously held before reaching the state’s term limits.

No description available

In this Florida school district, some parents are pushing back against a cellphone ban

Read full article: In this Florida school district, some parents are pushing back against a cellphone ban

It’s no surprise that students are pushing back on cellphone bans in classrooms.

No description available

Rift between Parkland massacre survivor and some families of the dead erupts in court

Read full article: Rift between Parkland massacre survivor and some families of the dead erupts in court

A nasty rift between the most seriously wounded survivor of the 2018 Parkland school massacre and some families of the 17 murdered has erupted in court.

No description available

When violence and trauma visit American places, a complex question follows: Demolish, or press on?

Read full article: When violence and trauma visit American places, a complex question follows: Demolish, or press on?

Parkland.

No description available

Demolition of the Parkland classroom building where 17 died in 2018 shooting begins

Read full article: Demolition of the Parkland classroom building where 17 died in 2018 shooting begins

A large excavator stretched up and punched out a window on the top floor of a three-story classroom building where 17 people died in the 2018 mass shooting at Parkland, Florida’s, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as a long-awaited demolition got underway.

No description available

Six years after the Parkland school massacre, the bloodstained building will finally be demolished

Read full article: Six years after the Parkland school massacre, the bloodstained building will finally be demolished

The demolition of the building where 17 people died in the 2018 Parkland school shooting is set to begin.

No description available

'Frozen in time.' Kamala Harris tours bloodstained building where 2018 Parkland massacre happened

Read full article: 'Frozen in time.' Kamala Harris tours bloodstained building where 2018 Parkland massacre happened

Vice President Kamala Harris toured the bloodstained classroom building where the 2018 Parkland high school massacre happened.

No description available

Parkland family among those using re-created voices of gun violence victims to call lawmakers

Read full article: Parkland family among those using re-created voices of gun violence victims to call lawmakers

The family of a teen murdered at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is launching a campaign where re-created voices of gun violence victims will call federal lawmakers.

No description available

Proposal by Northeast Florida lawmaker would lower gun-buying age to 18 in Florida

Read full article: Proposal by Northeast Florida lawmaker would lower gun-buying age to 18 in Florida

It could potentially reverse part of a law that passed in the aftermath of the 2018 mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

No description available

Proposal would lower gun-buying age in Florida from 21 to 18

Read full article: Proposal would lower gun-buying age in Florida from 21 to 18

A House Republican from Northeast Florida on Thursday renewed an attempt to lower the minimum age from 21 to 18 for people to buy rifles and other long guns in Florida, potentially reversing part of a law that passed in the aftermath of the 2018 mass shooting at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

No description available

Years after Parkland massacre, tour freshens violence for group of House lawmakers

Read full article: Years after Parkland massacre, tour freshens violence for group of House lawmakers

A second group of U.S. House lawmakers toured the building where Parkland high school students were massacred in 2018.

No description available

Stoneman Douglas High shooting site visited one last time by lawmakers and educators

Read full article: Stoneman Douglas High shooting site visited one last time by lawmakers and educators

Florida lawmakers and education leaders from several states have taken what is likely to be the final tour of a building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

No description available

Shots again fired at site of Parkland school massacre in reenactment after lawmakers visit

Read full article: Shots again fired at site of Parkland school massacre in reenactment after lawmakers visit

Gunfire again erupted at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as part of a reenactment of the 2018 massacre that left 14 students and three staff members dead.

No description available

The Parkland school massacre will be reenacted, with gunfire, in lawsuit against sheriff's deputy

Read full article: The Parkland school massacre will be reenacted, with gunfire, in lawsuit against sheriff's deputy

Ballistics experts will fire up to 139 shots at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Friday during a reenactment of the 2018 Parkland massacre.

No description available

Parkland massacre survivors, victim’s families visit school building shooting site before demolition

Read full article: Parkland massacre survivors, victim’s families visit school building shooting site before demolition

Families of the victims and survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre were allowed back into the 1200 building where the shooting occurred beginning Wednesday.

No description available

What do you think about the Florida deputy being acquitted for failing to act during deadly Parkland shooting?

Read full article: What do you think about the Florida deputy being acquitted for failing to act during deadly Parkland shooting?

A Florida sheriff’s deputy was acquitted Thursday of felony child neglect and other charges for failing to act during the 2018 Parkland school massacre.

No description available

Homicide detective weeps in trial of deputy who failed to confront Parkland high school shooter

Read full article: Homicide detective weeps in trial of deputy who failed to confront Parkland high school shooter

A veteran homicide detective wept in court as he testified about the 2018 massacre at a Parkland, Florida, high school.

No description available

Bills call for sweeping changes to Florida’s death penalty

Read full article: Bills call for sweeping changes to Florida’s death penalty

First, lawmakers will consider making adults convicted of sexual battery on children under 12 a crime punishable by death.

No description available

Monitoring schools threats continues to be a priority for law enforcement

Read full article: Monitoring schools threats continues to be a priority for law enforcement

Tuesday marks five years since 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

No description available

Audit finds DCPS complying with state’s school-based crime reporting following scathing report

Read full article: Audit finds DCPS complying with state’s school-based crime reporting following scathing report

News4JAX reported last summer when that a grand jury found that Duval County Public Schools was significantly under-reporting crimes.

No description available

Parkland remembers victims 5 years after school massacre

Read full article: Parkland remembers victims 5 years after school massacre

The community of Parkland, Florida, has gathered to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the murder of 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

No description available

Duval County middle, high schools to have enhanced security precautions Tuesday

Read full article: Duval County middle, high schools to have enhanced security precautions Tuesday

High schools and middle schools in Duval County will have extra security measures in place Tuesday, five years after the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

No description available

Public memorial planned for Parkland school victims

Read full article: Public memorial planned for Parkland school victims

A nonprofit organization in Florida is planning a public memorial dedicated to the 17 people who died during a 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

No description available

‘One person’s not enough’: State leaders considering expansion of Florida’s school guardian program

Read full article: ‘One person’s not enough’: State leaders considering expansion of Florida’s school guardian program

The guardian program was introduced after the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and provides a framework for armed safety officers to police public and charter schools.

No description available

Two Hacks in the Kitchen | A guilt free fall dessert

Read full article: Two Hacks in the Kitchen | A guilt free fall dessert

2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt

No description available

Democrats in Florida seek to win over Latinos on gun control

Read full article: Democrats in Florida seek to win over Latinos on gun control

Democrats in Florida are trying to make inroads with Latino voters by focusing on gun safety.

No description available

DeSantis appointees replace elected school board members

Read full article: DeSantis appointees replace elected school board members

Four school board members appointed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in one of Florida's most Democratic counties have been sworn in.

No description available

DeSantis axes school board members tied to Parkland massacre

Read full article: DeSantis axes school board members tied to Parkland massacre

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has removed four board members at the school district where a 2018 campus massacre occurred.

No description available

Dried blood and roses: Jury gets rare look at Parkland scene

Read full article: Dried blood and roses: Jury gets rare look at Parkland scene

Jurors in the trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz have toured the still-bloodstained building where he murdered 17 people four years ago.

No description available

Parkland jurors must manage trial stress on their own

Read full article: Parkland jurors must manage trial stress on their own

The 12 jurors chosen to decide whether Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz is executed will be exposed to horrific images and emotional testimony, but must deal with any mental anguish alone.

No description available

Parkland jurors must manage trial stress on their own

Read full article: Parkland jurors must manage trial stress on their own

The 12 jurors chosen to decide whether Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz is executed will be exposed to horrific images and emotional testimony, but must deal with any mental anguish alone.

No description available

Judge won’t delay Florida school shooting sentencing trial

Read full article: Judge won’t delay Florida school shooting sentencing trial

A Florida judge has refused to delay the sentencing trial of Nikolas Cruz in the 2018 shooting at a high school in which 17 people were killed.

No description available

Clay County school leaders want to keep property tax going for additional school security

Read full article: Clay County school leaders want to keep property tax going for additional school security

Clay County School leaders are pushing to keep a property tax increase in place to fund added school security.

No description available

From Columbine to Robb, 169 dead in US mass school shootings

Read full article: From Columbine to Robb, 169 dead in US mass school shootings

Fourteen mass shootings at U.S. schools since 1999's massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado have killed a total of 169 victims.

No description available

Jury selection in school shooter’s trial upended by T-shirt

Read full article: Jury selection in school shooter’s trial upended by T-shirt

Jury selection in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz hit a new stumbling block when a potential juror wore a T-shirt potentially prejudicial to his case.

No description available

Jury selection for Florida school killer enters 2nd phase

Read full article: Jury selection for Florida school killer enters 2nd phase

Jury selection in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz has entered its second phase with the attorneys asking questions of potential jurors individually.

No description available

Deputies protect school killer after potential juror threat

Read full article: Deputies protect school killer after potential juror threat

Deputies protecting Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz had to pull him aside and surround him after members of a jury pool became potentially threatening.

No description available

Florida massacre families to get millions for FBI's inaction

Read full article: Florida massacre families to get millions for FBI's inaction

Federal officials have confirmed that the U.S. Department of Justice has reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the families of most of those killed and wounded in a 2018 Florida high school massacre over the FBI’s failure to stop the gunman even though it had received information he intended to attack.

No description available

Remembering the Parkland school massacre: 4 years later

Read full article: Remembering the Parkland school massacre: 4 years later

It was on this day four years ago that 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

No description available

How to combat alarming pace of school gun violence

Read full article: How to combat alarming pace of school gun violence

In the four years since the deadliest high school massacre in U.S. history, violence in schools is rising.

No description available

Parkland school shooter’s trial delayed again

Read full article: Parkland school shooter’s trial delayed again

The penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz will be delayed until April.

No description available

Florida district to pay $26 million to shooting victims

Read full article: Florida district to pay $26 million to shooting victims

A South Florida school district will pay more than $26 million to the families of 17 people killed in the 2018 shooting massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

No description available

‘No peace’: Emotional day for families of Parkland shooting victims as gunman pleads guilty

Read full article: ‘No peace’: Emotional day for families of Parkland shooting victims as gunman pleads guilty

After the pleas were entered, some of the families of Nikolas Cruz's victims reacted on social media, many of them expressing contempt, heartbreak and a desire for the harshest punishment.

No description available

Biden gives video address to graduating Parkland students

Read full article: Biden gives video address to graduating Parkland students

President Joe Biden has told graduating seniors who were freshmen when a mass shooting left 17 people dead at their Florida high school that they've turned pain into purpose and darkness into light.

No description available

Appeals court strikes down challenge to prevent armed school guardians

Read full article: Appeals court strikes down challenge to prevent armed school guardians

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An appeals court says armed school guardians can be allowed on school campuses, striking down a challenge pushed by Duval County parents. A Duval County judge disagreed, and now the appeals court has upheld that ruling. That shooting led several school districts, including Duval County Public Schools, to create the school guardian program. Some argued that having armed guardians would cause more harm than good. The panel detailed changes made by lawmakers that aimed to create an exception from that law for school guardians.

No description available

‘Enhanced security’ to continue Tuesday at DCPS high schools

Read full article: ‘Enhanced security’ to continue Tuesday at DCPS high schools

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As a precaution, Duval County Public Schools plans to continue enhanced security screening at district high schools when students return to class on Tuesday. Tracy Pierce, spokesperson for DCPS, said there was no specific threat and that the decision was made out of an abundance of caution. It’s unclear how long the district plans to keep the measures in place. The district is encouraging anyone who sees a threat on social media to share it with their school or police. One way to do that is to report suspicious activity at schools through the Fortify FL app or on www.getfortifyfl.com.

No description available

Gov. DeSantis orders flags at half-staff Sunday to honor 17 lives lost in Parkland school shooting

Read full article: Gov. DeSantis orders flags at half-staff Sunday to honor 17 lives lost in Parkland school shooting

Ron DeSantis ordered flags across the state be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Sunday to honor the 17 lives lost in the Parkland school shooting. Authorities said a former student of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School opened fire on campus with an AR-15 rifle on Valentine’s Day in 2018. When the gunfire ended, 14 students and three staff members were dead, and 17 others were wounded. In his proclamation for a day of remembrance, DeSantis asked fellow Floridians to pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. Sunday. The panic alert measure was dubbed “Alyssa’s Law,” in honor of 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the students killed three years ago.

No description available

On Parkland anniversary, Biden calls for tougher gun laws

Read full article: On Parkland anniversary, Biden calls for tougher gun laws

President Joe Biden used the the occasion to call on Congress to strengthen gun laws, including requiring background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons. The president used the occasion to call on Congress to strengthen gun laws, including requiring background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons. "For those of us who lost loved ones that day, it's pretty much like any other day. Even before the Parkland tragedy, there was already plenty of anguish in Florida over gun violence. “Today, as we mourn with the Parkland community, we mourn for all who have lost loved ones to gun violence,” he said.

No description available

On Parkland anniversary, Biden calls for tougher gun laws

Read full article: On Parkland anniversary, Biden calls for tougher gun laws

President Joe Biden used the the occasion to call on Congress to strengthen gun laws, including requiring background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons. The president used the occasion to call on Congress to strengthen gun laws, including requiring background checks on all gun sales and banning assault weapons. "For those of us who lost loved ones that day, it's pretty much like any other day. Even before the Parkland tragedy, there was already plenty of anguish in Florida over gun violence. “Today, as we mourn with the Parkland community, we mourn for all who have lost loved ones to gun violence,” he said.

No description available

Father of victim reflects on three years since Parkland school shooting

Read full article: Father of victim reflects on three years since Parkland school shooting

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sunday marks three years since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. So every day is like Sunday for me.”On Thursday, Schachter helped launch the first statewide dashboard to reduce school violence — School Incident Report. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, along with Wisconsin’s Sen. Ron Johnson filed the Luke and Alex School Safety Act of 2021, an identical bill as was filed last legislative session. If passed, the bill would nationally systematize the bundle of school safety information compiled at schoolsafety.gov. “The Trump administration agreed with my idea, they created this school safety clearinghouse.”AdSen. Rubio said this centralized source for best school safety practices will provide schools some consistency nationwide.

No description available

How the Parkland shooting launched a new generation of activists

Read full article: How the Parkland shooting launched a new generation of activists

As we approach the third anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, it’s a good time to reflect on the magnitude of the situation, as well as where it has led us from there.

No description available

Examining mental health strides 3 years after Parkland

Read full article: Examining mental health strides 3 years after Parkland

She was part of the initial push to improve access to mental health services in Florida’s public schools following the Parkland shooting. “We need to ensure that mental health services are in place.”Dr. Cauffield says with the Florida legislature allocating $69,000,000 to go to these services, students and schools now have better resources. Dr. Cauffield says the team’s end goal is to de-escalate and assess whether a Baker Act is needed. These can be signs that your child may be suffering from a mental health condition. AdWhile strides are being made, Dr. Cauffield says for more to happen, the mental health stigma still needs to be addressed.

No description available

3 years after Parkland, lawmakers mixed on Florida’s gun laws

Read full article: 3 years after Parkland, lawmakers mixed on Florida’s gun laws

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Sunday will mark three years since the Parkland High School mass shooting that left 17 students and staff dead. Manuel Oliver’s son, Joaquin, was one of the 17 killed in the Valentine’s Day mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Oliver, who says her son was also her best friend, is still waiting for lawmakers to take action. AdAfter the Parkland shooting, the Legislature increased the age to purchase firearms from 18 to 21. The same legislation also allowed trained school staff to possess firearms on school grounds.

No description available

Appeals court eyes armed school guardians

Read full article: Appeals court eyes armed school guardians

Siding with the school board in December, Duval County Circuit Judge Robert Dees acknowledged that school guardians are not included in exceptions to Florida law allowing firearms on school campuses. But he found that the 2018 law authorizing guardians “in support of school-sanctioned activities” allowed school safety officers to be armed. Sonja Harrell, who represents the school board, argued that lawmakers intended that school guardians be armed, saying the plaintiffs were “cherry-picking” legislative language to support their position. The school officials pointed out that, under the law, guardians must undergo “a significant amount of firearms training” and have concealed weapons licenses. “These statutory requirements would be unnecessary if the Legislature did not intend school guardians to use firearms in the course of their duties,” the school board’s lawyers argued.

No description available

Florida mothers united in tragedy push lawmakers to act

Read full article: Florida mothers united in tragedy push lawmakers to act

At the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, Giordano crossed paths Thursday with Lori Alhadeff, who lost her 14-year-old daughter Alyssa in the Parkland school shooting. Giordano and Alhadeff are linked over their grief of losing children and working to get lawmakers to make schools safer, albeit in different ways. Alhadeff was back to urge lawmakers to require panic buttons at schools to more quickly summon for help. Ron DeSantis, public schools would be required to have a tub or other large container filled with cold water at the sidelines during all games and practices. The proposed law would also require schools to train personnel on how to recognize signs of heat-related ailments, including potentially deadly heat strokes, and to take life-saving actions.

No description available

Secret Service study: School attackers showed warning signs

Read full article: Secret Service study: School attackers showed warning signs

In at least four cases, attackers wanted to emulate other school shootings, including those at Columbine High School in Colorado, Virginia Tech University and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The study by the Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center is the most comprehensive review of school attacks since the Columbine shootings in 1999. Officials use that knowledge and apply it in other situations, such as school shootings or mass attacks. Since the Columbine attack, there have been scores of school shootings. The report covers 41 school attacks from 2008 through 2017 at K-12 schools.

No description available

Court rules against student on off-campus threat

Read full article: Court rules against student on off-campus threat

The ruling Wednesday by the 3rd District Court of Appeal focused on whether the Miami Lakes Middle School student should have been shielded from prosecution because he posted the threat while off school grounds. Also, the attorneys argued that attempting to regulate off-campus speech made the law unconstitutionally vague and overbroad. The same could be said for a student seeking to interrupt standardized testing by telephoning the school from an off-campus location with a bomb threat hoax." But the court said "the statute limits any punishment for speech to that which causes a disruption to the school functions. Moreover ... the regulation punishes only that speech generating disruption, not speech merely intending to effect an impact."

No description available

Florida lawmakers propose bill to crack down on ammo sales

Read full article: Florida lawmakers propose bill to crack down on ammo sales

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Eighteen months after 17 people were killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, lawmakers are introducing a bill to crack down on the sale of gun ammunition. State Rep. Dan Daley and State Sen. Lauren Book said there's no oversight over the purchase of ammunition. "There's actual no check to make sure people don't have the ammunition," Daley said. There have 325 mass shootings in 2019, according to Gun Violence Archive. But it's more than likely that the ammunition was bought legally because of the lack of background checks on ammo purchases.

No description available

Some teachers in Florida can carry guns inside classrooms now

Read full article: Some teachers in Florida can carry guns inside classrooms now

Copyright 2019 CNN(CNN) - As of Oct. 1, some Florida teachers can carry firearms on campus. The measure is part of a controversial bill Florida Gov. The bill authorizes school districts to implement at least one school-safety officer per public school. Some districts already arm teachers; others have banned itArming teachers was already legal in some school districts before the mass shooting in Parkland. The Florida bill entered effect on the second anniversary of the mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 people.

No description available

Lawmakers file bill to require panic buttons in public schools

Read full article: Lawmakers file bill to require panic buttons in public schools

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Since the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, the push to make Florida schools safer has been at the forefront. If it is passed when Florida lawmakers return to the capitol next legislative session, it could be called "Alyssa's Law". The bill would require elementary, middle and high schools to have these buttons in each of their school buildings. The panic buttons would be used for a number of emergencies including, but not limited to evacuations, lockdowns, and active shooters. VIEW PDF: House Bill 23 - "Alyssa's Law""Alyssa's Law" became law in New Jersey earlier this year.

No description available

State education officials seek more money for safety measures

Read full article: State education officials seek more money for safety measures

The state agencys budget request, approved by the Florida Board of Education on Wednesday, also contains an additional $1.4 million to maintain school resource officers in each Florida public school. Under sweeping legislation passed shortly after the Feb. 14, 2018 shooting in Parkland, all public schools are required to have trained, armed security personnel onsite. But up until recently, many schools -- particularly charter schools -- have struggled to comply with that requirement. Corcoran acknowledged Wednesday that charter schools have struggled to have armed security certified by the state. The move to increase spending to maintain school safety officers comes days after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission blasted charter schools for not having long-term plans to have armed security on campus.

No description available

Education officials eye school safety, mental health

Read full article: Education officials eye school safety, mental health

Addressing mental health issues and hardening schools have been two high-profile education issues in the wake of last years mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. With that in mind, Florida Department of Education officials have proposed policy changes to address those two issues. State education leaders also want to make policy changes aimed at boosting the pool of mental health professionals that can work in schools. Judd applauded the move to expand access to mental health treatment for students. Thats why we need the mental health counselors, Judd said.

No description available

Teen With Same Name as Alleged Parkland Shooter Nikolas Cruz Wants to Change It

Read full article: Teen With Same Name as Alleged Parkland Shooter Nikolas Cruz Wants to Change It

Calls from the media flooded the home of Nikolas Marciel Cruz after a gunman opened fire at the school on Feb. 14, 2018, killing 17 and injuring many more. Nikolas Marciel Cruz lives in Sunrise, which neighbors Parkland, where Stoneman Douglas is located. It was the first of many instances where her son was confused for the teen allegedly responsible for the shooting, who authorities identified as Nikolas Jacob Cruz. Oh my god! the man exclaimed after Nikolas Marciel Cruz introduced himself, Moran said. And though Nikolas Marciel Cruz, who has high-functioning autism, plans to keep his first name, he wants a chance to start anew when he begins college, where he plans to study history, his mother said.

No description available

Florida teen tired of sharing name with accused school shooter

Read full article: Florida teen tired of sharing name with accused school shooter

The suspect in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Nikolas Jacob Cruz, makes a court appearance on a closed-circuit television screen. SUNRISE, Fla. - A Florida teenager wants to change his name because he shares it with the defendant charged in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre. The mother of Nikolas Marciel Cruz told the South Florida Sun Sentinel her 18-year-old son got tired of being confused with Nikolas Jacob Cruz, the 20-year-old accused of killing 17 people. She kept her son out of his school the day after the shooting, fearing how other students and parents would react. Moran said Nikolas has high-functioning autism and wants a different name when he soon goes to college, where he plans to study history.

No description available

Company to get $1.3 million for school safety tool

Read full article: Company to get $1.3 million for school safety tool

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Department of Education will pay nearly $1.3 million to a company that will revise a tool used by all public schools to identify threats and vulnerabilities on campuses. After the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting, lawmakers required all school districts to complete school security risk assessments for the tool for all public schools, including charter schools. Those assessments were required to include information like a schools physical security measures, school security and operational practices, as well as crisis preparedness plans. According to a notice posted last week by the state agency, there was not a competitive bidding process for Haystax Technology to get the nearly $1.3 million contract. The agency said it picked to the company to revise the tool because the company had already gone through a competitive vetting process and was picked to develop and construct the tool.

No description available

WATCH LIVE: Results of Parkland internal affairs investigation released

Read full article: WATCH LIVE: Results of Parkland internal affairs investigation released

Sheriff Gregory Tony will hold a news conference at 9 a.m. to announce the completion of the internal affairs investigation following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

BACK TO TOP
  • TV Listings

  • Email Newsletters

  • RSS Feeds

  • Contests and Rules

  • Contact Us

  • Careers at WJXT / WCWJ

  • Closed Captioning / Audio Description

  • WJXT Public File

  • WJXT EEO Report

  • WCWJ Public File

  • WCWJ EEO Report

  • Terms of Use

  • Privacy Policy

  • Do Not Sell My Info

  • FCC Applications

Follow Us
Visit our YouTube page (opens in a new tab)
Visit our Facebook page (opens in a new tab)
Visit our Instagram page (opens in a new tab)
Visit our X page (opens in a new tab)
Visit our RSS Feed page (opens in a new tab)
Get Results With OmneOmne Results Logo

If you need help with the Public File, call (904) 393-9801

At WJXT, we are committed to informing and delighting our audience. In our commitment to covering our communities with innovation and excellence, we incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance our news gathering, reporting, and presentation processes. Read our article to see how we are using Artificial Intelligence.


Graham Media Group LogoGraham Digital Logo

Copyright © 2025 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.