A reenactment of the tragic 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, is scheduled for early August as part of a civil lawsuit. This controversial decision involves using live ammunition with a safety device to replicate the sound of the gunfire. The reenactment aims to determine what former Broward Deputy Scot Peterson could hear during the six-minute attack that claimed 17 lives and injured 17 others.

Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips approved the agreement between attorneys for the victims' families and Peterson to conduct the reenactment on August 4th within the original three-story classroom building at the high school. Former FBI agent Bruce Koenig, a ballistics expert for the families, testified that live rounds produce a distinct sound compared to blanks, a crucial factor in determining Peterson's perception of the events.

Peterson, the school's resource officer at the time, was acquitted of criminal charges related to his inaction during the shooting. However, a civil case with similar accusations is currently underway. The reenactment will utilize a ballistic bullet trap, a standard safety measure in gun ranges and law enforcement labs, to ensure a controlled environment. This agreement avoids the need for a second reenactment, minimizing the impact on the community.

The building, preserved since the tragedy, will be demolished after all legal proceedings conclude. The reenactment will meticulously follow the school surveillance videos, recreating the movements of Peterson and the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, during the attack, in which approximately 140 rounds were fired. Victims and families have been allowed to tour the building since the conclusion of the criminal trials, with the final visit occurring recently.

Peterson maintains that echoes within the building obscured the origin of the shots, hindering his ability to locate Cruz. He retired shortly after the incident and was subsequently fired retroactively. Cruz, a former student at Stoneman Douglas, received a life sentence last year after the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision on the death penalty.

Memorial outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)