Anguished survivors of the Parkland school shooting and grieving relatives of victims faced the gunman in court before he’s sentenced to life in prison, testifying Tuesday about the loved ones and sense of security he stole from them, and expressing anger over a jury’s decision not to recommend he be put to death.
“You don’t know me, but you tried to kill me,” teacher Stacey Lippel told Nikolas Cruz, who attended court in a red prison jumpsuit, thick eyeglasses and a medical mask. “The person I was at 2:20 (p.m.) on Wednesday, February 14, 2018, is not the same one who stands here today. I am broken and altered, and I will never look at the world the same way again.”
Many of those who took the stand spoke directly to Cruz, including the widow of victim Christopher Hixon, who told the gunman he did not get the justice he deserved: “You were given a gift – a gift of grace and mercy,” Debra Hixon said, “something you did not show to any of your victims.”
