Nikolas Cruz, who confessed to carrying out the mass shooting in February that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, has allegedly attacked a jail guard.
Cruz, who was already facing 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder, is now facing three charges related to an alleged assault against the guard, according to jail records.
According to the records, Cruz committed aggravated assault and battery against the guard; he also was charged with using an electric or chemical weapon against a law enforcement officer.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office said that Cruz attacked Sgt. Raymond Beltran, punching him in the head and wrestling him on the ground, after Beltran asked him to stop dragging his sandals on the ground.
Cruz then took Beltran’s stun gun and tried using it to shock the deputy.
The attack happened in the dayroom area while Beltran was guarding Cruz at around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a police report obtained by CBS.
Beltran finally got the better of Cruz, grabbing the Taser and punching Cruz in the face. Cruz retreated and sat down, and Beltran then took him into custody.
‘Attacked’
Beltran “was attacked,” Sgt. Anthony Marciano, director for the Federation of Public and Private Employees which represents detention deputies and sergeants inside the Broward County jails, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “He was in an altercation, but at no point in time was he ever incapacitated.”
Beltran handled the situation appropriately, Marciano added. It wasn’t clear if Beltran or Cruz suffered injuries during the fight.
Cruz appeared at a brief hearing on Wednesday and the judge set bail for two of the charges at $200,000, although Cruz wouldn’t be released either way due to his pending murder trial. A hearing on the third charge, aggravated assault, is scheduled for Nov. 26.
Despite officers saying Cruz confessed to the Parkland shooting spree, he pleaded not guilty. His lawyers said he would plead guilty if he was spared the death penalty.
