Florida sheriff’s deputy shoots himself in the leg while responding to false school shooting report

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A view of activities at the Broward Health hospital in Pompano Beach, Florida, on February 15, 2018, where victims of the Florida high school shooting were brought after the attack. A deputy responding to a report of another shooting accidentally shot himself in the leg. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 2:07am, 16 Feb 2018Updated: 3:32am, 26 Jun 2018

A sheriff’s deputy responding to a report of gunfire at a private school near the site of Wednesday’s mass shooting accidentally shot himself in the leg while on the premises, it has emerged.

The deputy was one of several police who responded reports of shots being fired at North Broward Preparatory School on Thursday morning. That’s around five miles from where shooter Nikolas Cruz opened fire, killing 17, on Wednesday.

While the reports of gunfire from the prep school were inaccurate, there was one shot fired - by the deputy, who had to be treated at the scene, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.

Police patrol the area outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School following a school shooting incident in Parkland, Florida, on February 15, 2018. Photo: Reuters

No-one else was injured in the shooting at the school - which serves children from kindergarten to high school ages - the sheriff’s office said.

It’s unclear why the incorrect report was made, but North Broward Prep, like all Broward County high school, is on a “code yellow,” which means students should remain in classrooms with doors locked.

Officials said this is precautionary following the Wednesday afternoon shooting by Cruz that killed 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale.