Nikolas Cruz plans to plead guilty to Parkland shooting

Nikolas Cruz, the man accused of carrying out the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 people dead, plans to plead guilty, according to multiple Friday reports.

Local outlet WSVN-TV first reported that Cruz, 23, would plead guilty to 17 murder counts and 17 counts of attempted murder.

The pleas will come with no conditions, The Associated Press reported, adding that prosecutors still plan to seek the death penalty.

The Broward County state attorney’s office referred questions from the AP to Cruz’s lawyers, saying they would have to comment on any plea.

“There have been no plea negotiations with the prosecution,” the office said in a statement.

It added that if Cruz pleaded guilty, there would still be a penalty phase to determine his sentencing.

Cruz faces either the death penalty or life in prison over the killings.

The AP reports that the guilty plea was unexpected, with jury selection for Cruz’s trial set to begin within the next few months.

Student survivors of the Parkland shooting became national spokespeople for gun control, leading rallies in Washington and meeting with lawmakers. Their advocacy has not led to meaningful new federal laws on gun control, however, amid stalemates in Congress.