Demolition Begins of Parkland Building Where 17 Died

(Getty Images)

Demolition began Friday at a building of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where a gunman killed 17 people in a 2018 mass shooting, as some family members of the victims looked on.

The first hole was punched into the classroom where teacher Scott Beigel died saving students, the Associated Press reported. The demolition is expected to take several weeks, CNN reported.

“This building has been a symbol — a symbol of failure,” Tony Montalto, who lost his daughter Gina, 14, in the slaughter, told CNN. “I know many in the community are happy to see it go.

“As for me, I’m concerned because we haven’t seen a solid plan yet for what’s going to replace this building. We need something that’s going to reflect the ones who were taken from us, the people they were before the tragedy.”

The shooting rampage on Valentine’s Day that year killed 14 students and three faculty member; 17 others were wounded. The gunman was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“This is one more step in our healing process,” Lori Alhadeff, whose 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa, was killed, told CNN. Alhadeff founded the nonprofit Make Our Schools Safe.

“And it’s important that … six years later, that this building comes down and my family, you know, we’re grieving the death of our daughter, Alyssa,” Alhadeff said. “We’re healing but we’re also trying to make change.”

CNN reported that among those who stood by while the demolition began were Debbi Hixon and her son Corey, whose father, Chris, 49, the school athletic director and wrestling coach, was killed.

Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son, Alex, died in the rampage while sitting in an English class, also watched the demolition.

“When I brought people through that building, it changed their lives,” Schachter told CNN. “And everybody that came out of that building was focused to make sure that this never happens again.”

Dylan Persaud, a student at the school in 2018, also stood by, telling the AP: “I’d like to see it gone. It puts a period on the end of the story. They should put a nice memorial there for the 17.”

Officials plan to complete the project before the school’s 3,300 students return in August.

Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut was also torn down after the 2012 shooting there, but the building was replaced. In Texas, officials closed Robb Elementary in Uvalde after a 2022 mass shooting there and plan to demolish it. Colorado’s Columbine High had its library demolished after the 1999 shooting.