BSO was right to fire deputy who hung back during Parkland shooting, arbitrator rules
.jpg "A woman clears debris on June 14, 2024, from a memorial garden at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. An independent arbitrator has ruled the Broward Sheriff’s Office had every right to fire a deputy accused of running away from danger during the mass shooting at the school in 2018.")
The Broward Sheriff’s Office had every right to fire a deputy accused of running away from danger at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and wasting precious time as a gunman made his way through the freshman building gunning down anyone unfortunate enough to get in his path, an independent arbitrator has ruled.
Edward Eason was an 18-year veteran of the agency in late 2018 when he was formally suspended and later fired for failing to perform his duty in an active-shooter situation. Eason appealed his firing, which was reviewed by an independent arbiter under the terms of his union’s contract with the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
Eason was one of a handful of deputies and school employees whose inaction on Feb. 14, 2018 drew criticism and public scorn. In the case that drew the most notoriety, Deputy Scot Peterson was charged with multiple counts of child neglect for racing to the building where the shooting was taking place, then taking cover outside, later telling investigators he could not tell where the sound of the gunshots was coming from.