MIAMI (AP) — The former sheriff's deputy who's been called a coward for his actions during a mass shooting at a Florida high school says he's haunted by what happened.
RELATED: More Parkland stories
Scot Peterson told NBC's "Today Show" in a segment aired Tuesday that "those were my kids in there" and he "would have never let my kids get slaughtered."
Peterson says events unfolded so fast that "there was no time" to intervene. The gunman entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School at 2:21 p.m. and began firing. He left six minutes later.
Former student Nikolas Cruz has been charged with killing 17 in the Feb. 14 attack.
Peterson resigned from the Broward Sheriff's Office eight days later when surveillance video showed him standing outside the building.
Peterson said he thought gunshots were coming from a sniper, not an "active shooter inside."
“Those are my kids in there. I never would’ve sat there and let my kids get slaughtered. Never.” Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson tells @savannahguthriepic.twitter.com/zNldRIz1df
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
“The families need to know I didn’t get it right, but it wasn’t because of some, ‘Oh, I don’t want to go into that building.’… It wasn’t like that at all.” Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson to @savannahguthriepic.twitter.com/MmWp23jXDx
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
“Were you a coward? That’s what they called you. The ‘Coward of Broward County.’” @savannahguthtrie to Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson pic.twitter.com/4gQ3NoXYFI
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson shares his moment-by-moment account of what he says happened on the day of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School pic.twitter.com/lJqjNpLQFc
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
“No real-time intelligence whatsoever.” Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson talks breakdown in radio communication on day of shooting pic.twitter.com/K0kKgtSKsK
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
“If I’m a parent whose child died in that building, you do think there’s a shooter inside why aren’t you going inside?” @savannahguthrie to Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson pic.twitter.com/Z9VLr1pwSp
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
.@savannahguthrie shows Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson surveillance footage of him standing outside during the shooting.
“I have my gun out, and I’m scanning and looking and that’s what we’re trained to do.” -Peterson pic.twitter.com/3i2vkYmz6k
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
“Why did it not occur to you that it could be an active school shooter when we’ve had so many school shootings?” @savannahguthrie to Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson pic.twitter.com/nbzj0lHB4S
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
“You were the one person there early enough who was armed who could’ve done something. How does that sit with you?” @savannahguthrie to Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson pic.twitter.com/R5PMvUko7R
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
Officer who didn't confront gunman defends his actions during Parkland shooting http://t.co/07EwxDsS70
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
“I’m never going to get over this. Those were my kids. I was there to protect those kids.” Watch @savannahguthrie’s exclusive full interview with Parkland school resource officer Scot Peterson pic.twitter.com/8iiGW3GNPY
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 5, 2018
