The jury in the United States has spared the life of Nikolas Cruz, but the author of the Parkland massacre, one of the deadliest in the history of American schools, will spend the rest of his life in prison.
After a three-month trial and a day of deliberation, the jury found Cruz guilty of 17 murders committed at his former school in Parkland, Florida, four and a half years ago.
The final verdict will be announced on November 1.
The families of the victims did not hide their displeasure at the fact that the death penalty was not even mentioned. Some of them left the courtroom in tears.
Despite the defendant’s aggravating circumstances, the jury considered mitigating factors such as his mental problems and difficult childhood.
On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz walked into his former high school armed to the teeth. He killed 14 students and 3 school employees, and injured 17 others.
The event sparked student protests demanding gun control in the United States, efforts that continue today.