The U.S. Justice Department released
the below information:
Attorney General Jeff
Sessions offered his condolences and support for the people of Broward County,
Florida yesterday. He also ordered the
Department of Justice to assist the victims of the tragic shooting at Marjory
Stoneman Douglas High School as well as the state and local agencies that are
leading the investigation.
The Attorney General offered
the following statement:
“It is now clear that the
warning signs were there and tips to the FBI were missed. We see the tragic
consequences of those failures.
“The FBI in conjunction with
our state and local partners must act flawlessly to prevent all attacks. This
is imperative, and we must do better. I have ordered the Deputy Attorney
General to conduct an immediate review of our process here at the Department of
Justice and FBI to ensure that we reach the highest level of prompt and
effective response to indications of potential violence that come to us. This
includes more than just an error review but also a review of how we respond.
This will include possible consultation with family members, mental health
officials, school officials, and local law enforcement.
“We will make this a top
priority. It has never been more important to encourage every person in every
community to spot the warning signs and alert law enforcement. Do not assume
someone else will step up--all of us must be vigilant. Our children's lives
depend on it.”
***
Following are some of the
resources already deployed by the Department and available to assist with the
state and local response:
The FBI has approximately 250
personnel working on this matter, including personnel in Miami and at FBI
headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The FBI’s Evidence Response
Team is assisting in evidence collection and analysis and providing technical
assistance with phone and social media investigation.
The ATF dispatched 17 special
agents from the Miami Field Division to assist at the scene, and these agents
continue to support the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in follow-up
investigation.
14 ATF agents from ATF’s West
Palm Beach and Fort Pierce Field Offices were on stand-by to assist during the
scene response, and are now supporting the follow-up investigation.
ATF completed an urgent trace
of a recovered firearm through its National Tracing Center.
ATF assisted in ballistics
analysis through its National Integrated Ballistics Information Network,
conducted witness interviews, and canvassed area federal firearms licensees for
information that may assist the investigation.
Numerous components of the
Department have made their victim-witness coordinators available for victim and
witness assistance as needed.
The U.S. Marshals Service has
deployed eight personnel—four from the Florida/Caribbean Fugitive Task Force
and four from the Southern District of Florida office. Additional personnel were staged and remain
ready to respond if needed.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin
Greenberg remains in contact with the state prosecutor and Broward County
Sheriff’s Office leadership and has made all federal resources available as
needed.
Three Assistant U.S.
Attorneys are currently assisting with the investigation, and one is staffing
the FBI Command Post.
Through the Antiterrorism and
Emergency Assistance Program, the Office for Victims of Crime has funding
available to support victim-assistance activities, such as crisis intervention
and grief trauma counseling, and to reimburse victims for certain expenses
related to the shooting.
The Office for Victims of
Crime and the Bureau of Justice Assistance stand ready to assist the state and
local authorities.
This list should not be
considered exhaustive. The Department of
Justice will continue to do whatever it can to help the people of Florida at
this difficult time.
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