Tony Montalto, the president of Stand With Parkland, a group of some of the families, said in a statement on Wednesday that the families were grateful for the grand jury’s work.
“The grand jury is doing its job by holding the people who are responsible for the safety of our children and staff members accountable,” said Mr. Montalto, who lost his 14-year-old daughter, Gina, in the shooting. “We know that Mr. Runcie’s poor leadership contributed to the Parkland tragedy.”
Former Sheriff Scott J. Israel, a Democrat, was removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, shortly after the governor took office in 2019. Mr. Israel ran for sheriff again last year and lost to Gregory Tony, whom Mr. DeSantis had appointed to take Mr. Israel’s place.
Separate from its investigation into the school district, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is also investigating Sheriff Tony, according to court records. That inquiry stems from revelations during last year’s campaign that Mr. Tony, a Democrat, had shot and killed a man as a teenager in Philadelphia and lied on an affidavit to become sheriff.
Broward County Public Schools, the nation’s sixth-largest district, has a long history of mismanagement and corruption scandals, many of them related to school construction. More than a decade ago, a school board member served prison time after taking bribes from undercover agents posing as contractors.
The latest arrests are related to a grand jury born after Mr. DeSantis requested it in February 2019.
Source Article from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/us/robert-runcie-florida-superintendent-arrested.html
Comments