A Broward County judge gave the go ahead Thursday for a reenactment of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, according to WBPF.
Circuit Court Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips accompanied the approval with permission for the use of live rounds, WPBF noted. The Aug. 4 reenactment will be recorded and trace the steps the shooter took on Feb. 14, 2018. Police officers will reportedly maintain a security perimeter.
Former FBI agent Bruce E. Koenig explained the disadvantage of using blanks since they sound different than live rounds, according to CNN.
“There is no advantage there going with blanks … but as a forensic scientist, I’m concerned about giving the court and all the parties involved the most accurate assessment of the scene,” Koenig reportedly said.
The reenactment will take place amid a lawsuit against former school resource officer Scot Peterson.
Judge approves reenactment of Parkland shooting https://t.co/3wtU4nAdhf pic.twitter.com/R6GnAQvelK
— South Florida Sun Sentinel (@SunSentinel) July 12, 2023
A jury found Peterson not guilty of “culpable negligence” in June after accusations he failed to follow training by taking cover amid the massacre. (RELATED: Trial Begins For School Resource Officer Who Stood Outside During Parkland Shooting)
The plaintiffs’ attorneys believe the reenactment will show Peterson could hear where the gunshots were coming from, per WPBF. Peterson’s defense team argued the former school resource officer could not determine the origins of the shots.