Gov. Rick Scott is calling for the FBI director to resign after officials with the agency admitted that it did not properly investigate a tip it received about 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz a month before he is accused of opening fire at a South Florida high school on Valentine's Day.
A person close to Cruz used the FBI’s Public Access Line tipline on Jan. 5 to report that Cruz had guns, had a "desire to kill people," made disturbing social media posts, exhibited erratic behavior and had the potential to carry out a school shooting, according to a statement from FBI officials.
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Officials said the FBI Miami Field Office should have been contacted, but it wasn't.
On Wednesday, Cruz fatally shot 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, according to authorities.
Scott called the FBI's inaction concerning the tip "unnacceptable."
“Seventeen innocent people are dead, and acknowledging a mistake isn’t going to cut it. An apology will never bring these 17 Floridians back to life, or comfort the families who are in pain. The families will spend a lifetime wondering how this could happen, and an apology will never give them the answers they desperately need," Scott said, adding that FBI director Chris Wray "needs to" resign.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is ordering a review of the Justice Department's processes to look at what went wrong and evaluate how the agency and Justice Department respond to tips.
"We will make this a top priority," Sessions said in a statement. "It has never been more important to encourage every person in every community to spot the warning signs and alert law enforcement. Do not assume someone else will step up -- all of us must be vigilant. Our children's lives depend on it."
Wray said the FBI is also examining what went wrong.
“We are still investigating the facts. I am committed to getting to the bottom of what happened in this particular matter, as well as reviewing our processes for responding to information that we receive from the public. It’s up to all Americans to be vigilant, and when members of the public contact us with concerns, we must act properly and quickly," Wray's statement read.
“We have spoken with victims and families, and deeply regret the additional pain this causes all those affected by this horrific tragedy. All of the men and women of the FBI are dedicated to keeping the American people safe, and are relentlessly committed to improving all that we do and how we do it.”