Parkland families reach $25 million settlement with Broward district over school shooting
Broward County Public Schools agreed to pay $25 million to the families of the 17 fatal victims of the Feb. 14, 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting, according to the attorney representing the families.
The money will also go to 16 of the 17 victims who were wounded but survived the shooting rampage carried out by Nikolas Cruz, who is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted premeditated murder.
“I’m humbled and honored to represent the parents of four murdered innocent students and a fifth student who was shot multiple times but miraculously survived,” attorney David Brill said in an email Tuesday.
Brill also represents 19 people “who suffer from PTSD and other ailments” as a result of the horror they encountered that day, he said. They, too, will receive a portion of the settlement money, Brill said.
“There isn’t enough money in existence that would compensate the victims and their families adequately,” Brill said. “But this settlement provides a measure of justice and accountability to them and the other families and victims.”
Brill did not specify how the money will be allocated among the plaintiffs.
The news of the settlement was first reported by the Sun Sentinel. The newspaper reported Monday the families of the deceased victims will receive the most money.
The plaintiffs listed on the lawsuit, Andrew Pollack and Shara Kaplan, parents of Meadow Pollack, and April and Philip Schentrup, did not respond to requests for comment on the settlement. The Schentrups lost their 16-year-old daughter, Carmen Schentrup, in the shootings.
Broward County Public Schools declined to comment on the settlement.
“Per our General Counsel, the matter has not been dismissed by the Judge, therefore it is still pending,” the district’s public information office said in an email Tuesday.
An attorney for the 17th wounded victim of the shooting, Anthony Borges, filed a separate lawsuit against the school district, according to the Sun Sentinel. He suffered some of the most severe physical wounds from the attack, the paper reported.
Brill said the civil case continues against other co-defendants. These include the Broward Sheriff’s Office, then school resource officer Scot Peterson, who is accused of not entering the building while Cruz carried out the murders, and two security monitors, one of whom is accused of not calling for a lockdown once he knew a gunman was on campus, and the other accused of hiding in a closet once the shots rang out.
“It’s only the end of the claims against the School Board,” Brill said.
According to Brill, Broward County Public Schools agreed to pay the entire amount without approval from the Florida Legislature. State law normally requires the Legislature to approve any government settlement payment to a single entity amounting to more than $300,000.
That the families will be receiving the full amount absent the approval process “is fair and frankly, remarkable,” Brill said.
“The parties are finalizing the documentation,” he said.
This story was originally published October 19, 2021 at 8:10 PM.
