Back on January 25, an individual was spotted trying to forcibly enter three schools in Virginia. Video footage showed a man attempting to open doors, peering inside the buildings. Police then arrested and charged him with three trespassing counts. Turns out, the suspect was Zachary Cruz, who is the brother of Nikolas Cruz, the Parkland shooter.
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The incident was first reported by Augusta County Sheriff Donald L. Smith on
Facebook. According to him, Cruz was first spotted at around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 25, outside the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center. A joint investigation later revealed that Cruz approached Wilson Middle School, Wilson High School, and the Valley Career and Technical Center after hours.Video footage showed Cruz "approaching exterior doors, attempting to open them, and peering inside, indicating efforts to gain unauthorized access." Days after the incident took place, authorities arrested Zachary Cruz without incident on Wednesday, February 5. They charged him with three misdemeanor counts of trespassing.
Cruz Brothers
One day later, Sheriff Smith would
once again post about Cruz. Apparently, Cruz's attorney live-streamed and posted a video on social media, showing various schools in the area. Smith clarified that Cruz was not physically present at the schools as he was, at the time, held at Middle River Regional Jail. Zachary Cruz was, however, released at 3:43 p.m., on Thursday, February 6."I understand how troubling this situation has been for you, your families, and our community," Sheriff Smith wrote. "The safety and security of all students, staff and community members are our top priorities. I want to assure you this matter is being taken very seriously."
"We encourage parents, students and staff to remain alert and report any suspicious activity. The collective effort of law enforcement, school officials, and the community is essential to maintaining a safe environment for everyone."
Zachary's brother, Nikolas Cruz, entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018. Nikolas would fire his AR-15, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others. The incident became the deadliest high school mass shooting in U.S. history. Nikolas Cruz left the area and police later arrested him without incident. He was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on November 2, 2022.
