Harrowing Moments: Students screaming inside Florida school

This might be the most heartbreaking video you have seen since the beginning of this year. It shows students screaming in terror and crying inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as one of their former students opened fire on them on Valentine’s day.

The disturbing footage shot with a student’s mobile phone shows students crouching under desks in fear as Nicolas de Jesus Cruz, 19, shot at them with an assault rifle. This happened just after 2 p.m. on Valentine’s day.

The sound of gunfire echoes out across the room as ear-piercing screams ring out.

“Oh my God, oh my God. Oh my God,” the students are heard screaming and scrambling to the floor.

Another video shared on Twitter shows classmates laying on the floor in a pool of their own blood. 17 staff and students were killed while up to 50 were injured in the shooting.

Terrified students hid under desks and chairs as the shooter went from classroom to classroom. Teachers ushered groups of students into confined safe spaces including closets as the attack was underway.

Some of the students took photos of themselves in their hiding places and sent out SOS messages to their loved ones saying they were trapped. Several students shared detailed descriptions of what was happening in real time via Twitter. It’s so heartbreaking reading some of the messages.

Terrified parents rushed to the scene of the attack and were left in an agonizing wait. Many communicated with their children on cell phones while others texted students and got no reply.

A father named Caesar Figueroa told CBS of his anguish.

He said: “My daughter is with a friend and is trapped in a closet. She is afraid to talk out loud. It’s like a war zone here with cops, machine guns, helicopters. The FBI is here, everyone is here. I told my daughter not to call me because I don’t want anyone to hear her voice.”

Miami reporter Rick Folbaum said he was exchanging messages with a child hiding in a closet.

“I’m continuing to text with a student, a young girl who I know well, who is in the building right now who told me that she heard a loud noise and what sounded like gunfire, three shots”, he said.

“She texted: All of a sudden there was a really loud noise…..people are crying the closet.”

One mother, Michelle, said her daughter sent her a text that said: “There’s been a shooting in school … and it’s for real.”

Some students were evacuated from the school by SWAt team and others were barricaded inside while the active shooter situation was dealt with.

chilling sounds of AR15 in classroom in Florida. former student 19 year old Nikolas Cruz taking out his rage. at least 17 dead, many in the hospital. 18th school shooting in U.S. this year. Shameful. on and for all of us.
Video Credit: Matt Walker/Snapchat pic.twitter.com/2ryCILI8Qa

— Bill Ritter (@billritter7) 15 February 2018