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Some wanted Florida suspect committed in 2016

<p>Officials were so concerned about the mental stability of the student accused of last month's Florida school massacre that they decided to have him forcibly committed over a year before the shootings.</p>

News 12 Staff

Mar 18, 2018, 10:07 PM

Updated 2,469 days ago

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MIAMI (AP) - Officials were so concerned about the mental stability of the student accused of last month's Florida school massacre that they decided to have him forcibly committed more than a year before the shootings.
  
But the recommendation was never acted upon.
  
Documents in the criminal case against Nikolas Cruz show the school officials at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and a sheriff's deputy recommended in September 2016 that Cruz be involuntarily committed for mental evaluation under Florida's Baker Act for at least three days.
  
A commitment under the law would have made it more difficult if not impossible for Cruz to obtain a gun legally.
  
Authorities say Cruz used a legally obtained assault rifle to kill 17 people at the school.
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3/18/2018 1:41:21 PM (GMT -4:00)