Parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz faces new charges for allegedly attacking a jail officer and taking his stun gun
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![Nikolas Cruz, who could face the death penalty if convicted of murdering 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on ValentineÕs Day, appears in court in front of Broward Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer Wednesday for a hearing that may decide who will represent him in a bid to spare his life Wednesday, April 11, 2018, in Broward Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Cruz, 19, is now represented by the Broward Public DefenderÕs Office, which is funded by taxpayers to handle clients who cannot afford to hire their own lawyers.
Defense, left to right: Melisa McNeill, Erin Veit, Diane Cuddihy
Behind you on the aisle, Zachary Cruz. Next to him, Rocxanne Deschamps. [cq]
Taimy Alvarez/Sun Sentinel/POOL](http://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/180411150909-02-nikolas-cruz-hearing-0411-small-169.jpg)
(CNN)Marjory
Stoneman Douglas school shooter Nikolas Cruz allegedly tackled and
repeatedly punched a jail guard, then took his stun gun Tuesday in a
fight, an arrest report shows.
Cruz, 20, who is awaiting trial on charges related to the February mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, now faces additional charges of assault, battery and use of an electric weapon on the guard, the report states.
The
incident began when Sgt. Raymond Beltran with the Broward County
Sheriff's Office main jail requested that Cruz not drag his sandals on
the ground while walking around the dayroom area, the report states.
In
response, Cruz flipped his middle finger, then rushed Beltran and
struck him in the face, the report states. Cruz took the officer to the
ground and struck the top of his head with fists, the report states,
citing video surveillance of the incident.
Cruz
then took Beltran's stun gun -- dubbed a "conductive electronic weapon"
-- from him, and as they wrestled over the device, the weapon
discharged, the report states. Cruz struck the sergeant several more
times until the guard regained control of the weapon and struck at
Cruz's face, the report states.
Cruz then retreated to a seat, and Beltran took him into custody, according to the arrest report.
Cruz already could face the death penalty
Cruz
has been in jail since he killed 17 students and teachers during the
shooting at his former school. Cruz confessed to being the gunman and
carrying out one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent US history,
court documents show.
After he was taken into custody, Cruz told a detective he had a "demon" in his head, according to a transcript. He said the voice told him to buy the AR-15 weapon and take an Uber to Stoneman Douglas the day of the shooting.
Cruz's attorney described him in February as a "deeply disturbed, emotionally broken" young man.
"He
is suffering from significant mental illness and significant trauma and
he has some very difficult decisions to make shortly, and we're going
to assist him with those decisions," public defender Gordon Weekes said.
A
Broward County grand jury indicted Cruz in March on 17 counts of
first-degree premeditated murder and 17 counts of first-degree attempted
murder, and a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty in the case.
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