Florida school shooting suspect remains silent in court

While students across the nation walked out of school amid the national gun control debate, the 19-year-old accused of killing 17 people and wounding more in the Florida school shooting sat in court silently with his head bowed.

Nikolas Cruz sat motionless in the jury box and said nothing during a brief hearing Wednesday. Because he refused to announce his plea, a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf on each of the 34 counts he faces — mainly to keep the legal process moving.

His attorney reiterated that Cruz would plead guilty if prosecutors waived the death penalty, which they refused to do.

Cruz is accused of carrying out the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that also wounded 17 other people.

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