This Friday, a team with machinery began to demolish the three-story classroom building where 17 people died in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Broward County.
Mechanical demolition consists of dismantling the structure in parts and not by implosion, starting with the upper floor, according to a statement from Broward County Public Schools (BCPS).
The three-story 1200 building had not been used since the shooting that killed 14 students and 3 school staff members. It had been preserved as a crime scene for the trials of gunman and former school resource assistant Scot Peterson.
Few residents came in the morning at the beginning of the demolition, to which relatives of the victims were invited to witness the first blows and hammer a piece themselves if they wished.
The Broward County school board has not decided what the building will be replaced with. Teachers suggested a practice field for band, Junior ROTC and other groups, connected by a landscaped path to a nearby monument that was erected a few years ago. Several of the students killed belonged to the band or Junior ROTC.
Some parents want the site to become a memorial.
Broward County follows in the footsteps of other schools that have been demolished after shootings.
Sandy Hook Elementary (Connecticut) was torn down after the 2012 shooting, and Robb Elementary, in Uvalde, Texas, was closed after the 2022 massacre and authorities also plan to demolish it. Likewise, the Columbine High library in Colorado was demolished after the 1999 shooting.
As the Public Schools explained when announcing the demolition almost a year ago, they made the decision in consultation with health and safety experts, and taking into account the well-being of students and staff on campus.
“We understand the urgency of this matter, but it is critical to prioritize safety above all else. In preparation for demolition, crews will clean and clear the building, complying with state and Environmental Protection Agency landfill disposal regulations.” Broward Public Schools had noted in a statement.
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