A mourner sits by a cross adorned with pictures of victims, along with flowers and other mementoes, at a memorial two days after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, U.S. February 16, 2018.
A mourner sits by a cross adorned with pictures of victims, along with flowers and other mementoes, at a memorial two days after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, U.S. February 16, 2018.
REUTERS/Jonathan Drake
  • Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty on Wednesday to all counts in the 2018 massacre.
  • Cruz pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the first-degree.
  • The gunman gave a tearful apology during the hearing, saying he has nightmares about his actions and must live with it "every day."

Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty on Wednesday to all counts in the 2018 massacre at a Florida high school where he killed 17 students and staffers and injured another 17 people.

Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder in the first-degree for the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

During the hearing at Broward County Circuit Court – where emotional family members of victims in the February 14, 2018 school shooting were present – a tearful Cruz apologized.

"I am very sorry for what I did and I have to live with it every day," Cruz said, adding, "I love you and I know you don't believe me, but I have to live with this every day and it brings me nightmares and I can't live with myself sometimes."

"But I try to push through because I know that's what you guys would want me to do," Cruz said.

Some parents in attendance shook their heads as Cruz spoke.

"I just want you to know I am really sorry and I hope you give me a chance to try to help others," Cruz said.

Cruz went on to say that, "I hate drugs and I believe this country would do better if everyone would stop smoking marijuana and doing all these drugs and causing racism and violence out in the streets."

"I'm sorry and I can't even watch TV anymore," he said. "And I am trying my best to maintain my composure."

Cruz pleaded guilty to all 34 counts in the courtroom one by one before Judge Elizabeth Scherer shortly before he apologized to the families.

A separate penalty trial will decide whether Cruz will receive a sentence of life in prison without parole or a death sentence.

While Cruz made his statement, he told the families of his victims that he believes "it's your decision to decide whether...I live or die."

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