Brother of Florida mass school shooter arrested for allegedly trespassing at 3 schools
Brother of Florida mass school shooter arrested for trespassing
Deputies in Virginia recently arrested the younger brother of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz for allegedly trespassing at three schools. Investigators say Zachary Cruz, 24, was caught on security cameras trying to open doors.
PARKLAND, Fla. - The brother of the gunman behind the Parkland mass school shooting in Florida was arrested earlier this month after allegedly trespassing at three schools.
The Augusta County Sheriff's Office said it arrested 24-year-old Zachary Cruz on Feb. 4.
Reports show Cruz is being charged with three misdemeanor counts of trespassing.
What led to the arrest of Zachary Cruz?
What we know:
The Augusta County Sheriff's Office said Cruz was initially seen on Jan. 25 at the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center Complex in Fishersville, Virginia.
Officials said the incident prompted an investigation involving the sheriff's office, the Woodrow Wilson Police Department and the Virginia State Police.
Investigators said they reviewed surveillance footage from Augusta County Public Schools, which showed Cruz going into the properties of Wilson Middle School, Wilson Memorial High School, and the Valley Career and Technical Center on Jan. 25.
"The footage shows Mr. Cruz approaching exterior doors, attempting to open them and peering inside, indicating efforts to gain unauthorized access," a sheriff's statement said.
Records show Cruz was arrested on Feb. 4 and charged with three misdemeanor counts of trespassing.
What we don't know:
It is currently unclear why Cruz was allegedly on the school campuses and what he was trying to do.
Zachary Cruz, 24, was arrested on Feb. 4. (Credit: Augusta County Sheriff's Office)
Authorities said Cruz was released on Feb. 6.
Who is Zachary Cruz?
The backstory:
Zachary Cruz is the brother of Nikolas Cruz, the gunman behind the Parkland school mass shooting.
Cruz previously was arrested for alleged trespassing in 2018 on the property the mass school shooting took place at — Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The shooting, which took place Feb. 14, 2018, was one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern United States history.
RELATED: Parkland shooting: 5 years after tragedy, families cope through good works
During the shooting, Nikolas Cruz shot and killed 17 people — 14 students and three staff members.
RELATED: Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to 2018 Parkland school shooting
Nikolas Cruz was sentenced to life in prison in 2022.
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The Source: This story was written based on previous reporting, as well as information shared by FOX News and the Augusta County Sheriff's Office.