Fact check: Parkland school resource officer returned $200 to student, lawsuit says
The claim: A cop stole hundreds of dollars from students' backpacks before the Parkland shooting
In 2018, a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people. Some online claim a cop stole hundreds of dollars from students' backpacks before the massacre unfolded.
An Instagram post shared June 8 by comedian DL Hughley shows a screenshot of a June 7 tweet from activist Shaun King.
"BREAKING: A new deposition states that right before the Parkland school shooting began, the cop assigned to the school was literally stealing hundreds of dollars from the backpacks of students," reads the tweet. "When the shooting began, he then hid for 48 minutes. 17 people were slaughtered."
The post generated over 11,000 likes in less than a week. The original tweet amassed over 200 likes. Similar posts with a screenshot of King's tweet have spread widely on Instagram and Facebook.
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But the claim doesn't tell the whole story.
King told USA TODAY in an email that support for his claim comes from a Slate article published on June 7 headlined "School Police Don’t Stop Shootings, so What Are They For?" The article includes information about an incident involving Scot Peterson, a resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and it refers to a 2018 lawsuit Parkland victims filed against several officials.
The lawsuit alleges that Peterson searched a student's backpack and seized $200 from it the morning of the shooting. But Peterson ended up returning the money, according to the lawsuit. The claim overstates the allegations in the lawsuit.
USA TODAY reached out to Hughley and social media users who shared the claim for comment.
Post exaggerates incident in 2018 lawsuit
The Instagram post's claim that Peterson stole hundreds of dollars from students' backpacks before the shooting exaggerates what was alleged in a 2018 lawsuit.
According to that lawsuit, a student referred to as T.M. had money taken from his backpack. The lawsuit alleges that T.M. was pulled out of class and escorted to an office where he joined "about 10 to 15" students who were "interrogated and searched" by faculty the morning of the shooting.
According to the lawsuit Peterson detained T.M. and took $200 from his backpack while also accusing him of selling drugs.
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The lawsuit alleges T.M. told Peterson the money was intended to take his girlfriend out to dinner for Valentine's Day, and Peterson called T.M.'s mother who validated T.M.'s explanation.
Eventually, Peterson returned the money "apparently realizing that he had seized T.M.’s money unlawfully," according to the lawsuit. Mark Eiglarsh, Peterson's attorney, also told USA TODAY in an emailed statement that his client "ensured the seized money was returned within two hours of seizure."
A judge ruled in 2019 that Peterson was entitled to qualified immunity on T.M.'s Fourth Amendment claim arising from the seizure of the money. USA TODAY reached out to T.M.'s attorney for comment.
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The rest of the Instagram post's claim about what unfolded during the shooting aligns with news reports and official documentation. CNN reported that an arrest warrant affidavit said Peterson stood 75 feet away from the building where the massacre took place at a "position of increased personal safety" for more than 45 minutes as five students and one teacher were killed.
Peterson was charged with seven counts of child neglect, three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury, USA TODAY reported. The arrest warrant accused him of "failing, declining or refusing" to confront the shooter.
Our rating: Missing context
Based on our research, we rate MISSING CONTEXT the claim that a cop stole hundreds of dollars from students' backpacks before the Parkland shooting. The claim overstates the details of an incident alleged in a 2018 lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, Peterson took $200 from a student's backpack but later returned the money.
Our fact-check sources:
Shaun King, June 10, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Mark Eiglarsh, June 10, Email exchange with USA TODAY
USA TODAY, June 5, 2019, Parkland resource officer Scot Peterson stayed outside as bullets flew. Is he negligent or a scapegoat?
Slate, June 7, School Police Don’t Stop Shootings, so What Are They For?
USA TODAY, June 11, 'Protect kids, not guns!': March for Our Lives rallies draw thousands in DC, Florida, Nevada, across US
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, July 11, 2018, Complaint in L.S., et al. v. Scot Peterson, et al.
USA TODAY, May 15, 2020, Fact check: Officer fired for failing to act during Parkland school shooting got his job back
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, Sept. 16, 2019, Order on Motion for Final Summary Judgment
Associated Press, June 10, Parkland student didn’t accuse officer of ‘stealing’ money
Local10, Jan. 28, Former BSO Deputy Scot Peterson permitted to visit Parkland school to prepare for trial
CNN, June 4, 2019, This is what Scot Peterson did during the Parkland school shooting
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Parkland cop returned $200 to student, lawsuit says
