FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — When the Parkland killer was asked why he wanted to buy an AR-15-style rifle, he said it was to go shooting with his friends over the weekend, a former gun shop owner testified Tuesday.
Michael Morrison owned the shop Sunrise Tactical Supply in February 2017 when then-18-year-old Nikolas Cruz bought a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 semi-automatic rifle for $618.17.
A year later, the gun would be used to kill 17 and injure 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14, 2018. The second week of the trial to determine whether Cruz is executed for the mass shooting continued Tuesday morning with testimony from Morrison and a medical examiner who conducted the autopsies of three victims.
Morrison is no longer in the firearms business, working now as a paving crew leader for the city of Tamarac. He described on the witness stand how he and a co-worker both handled Cruz’s sale, asking him to fill out a federal form that includes questions about whether he uses marijuana, has been convicted of a felony, been determined by a court to be mentally incapable or been involved in domestic violence. Cruz answered no to all of the questions.
Morrison said he scrutinized who he sold guns to.
“We look for any red flags or signs why the sale should not happen,” he sad. “If for any reasons anyone is uncomfortable, the sale did not happen.”
Morrison sad he had a brief conversation with Cruz about why he wanted the gun.
“He said, ‘I go shooting with my friends on the weekend. I just want my own stuff,’” Morrison testified.
Prosecutor Mike Satz showed him the rifle that was used at the high school, which Morrison identified, but said several parts had been added to it since the sale.
Jurors also heard Tuesday from Dr. Rebecca McDougall, chief medical examiner in Palm Beach County. She was working as a medical examiner in Broward County in 2018.
Max Schachter sobbed in the courtroom as McDougall described grim details about the multiple gunshot wounds that killed his son Alex, a band student.
McDougall also described the fatal wounds for student athlete Alyssa Alhadeff and teacher and coach Scott Beigel, whose families were not in court Tuesday.
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