Parkland families share anguish at Nikolas Cruz sentencing hearing: ‘Because of you, I will never feel safe’
Families of the Parkland victims addressed Nikolas Cruz during his sentencing hearing on Tuesday.
Twenty-four-year-old Nikolas Cruz’s sentencing hearing on Tuesday was marked by heart-wrenching testimonies from the relatives of the 17 people killed in the violence. Parents, grandparents and spouses of those killed and injured in the 2018 attack shared their anguish after Cruz was spared from the death sentence by a nonunanimous jury.
Theresa Robinovitz, whose 14-year-old granddaughter perished in the massacre, decried Cruz’s likely sentencing to life without parole.
“I’m too old to see you live out your life sentence but I hope your every breathing moment on Earth is miserable, and you repent for your sins, Nikolas, and burn in hell,” Ms Robinovitz said.
Parkland teacher Stacey Lippel said that the shooting forever changed her and she now finds herself constantly on edge, checking exits and thinking of worst-case scenarios.
“I’m broken and altered, and I will never look at the world the same way again,” Ms Lippel said, per CNN. “I used to be eternally happy and relatively carefree, but now, I have worries and fears that seem unreasonable to most.”
“Because of you, I check for exits wherever I am. Because of you, I think of the worst-case scenario for me and my family. Because of you, I will never feel safe again.”
The parents of a 17-year-old survivor also confronted Cruz during the sentencing. Bree and Eric Wikander recounted how their son’s doctor likened his injuries to something “similar to what a soldier would [suffer] in combat.
“Whatever pain you experience in prison will be a fraction of what Ben endured,” Mr Wikander, whose son Ben was shot three times in the arm, stomach and back, said.
This is a developing story ... check again for updates.
