FBI details mistakes handling Florida school shooting tip line calls

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The FBI has detailed to Congress a series of mistakes and missed opportunities to intervene before a gunman killed 17 people at a Florida high school last month.

FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich made the comments in a closed briefing Tuesday with members of the House Judiciary and Oversight committees.

In a summary released Wednesday, Bowdich cited two tips the FBI received about shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz, in September 2017 and January 2018, that were mishandled, including one in which a FBI call taker “did not ask any standard investigative probing questions.” The 2018 call taker was able to connect Cruz to the earlier call about a threatening YouTube comment, but after discussing it with a supervisor, they decided not to pursue the matter and the case was closed.

The chairmen of the two committees said that “despite multiple opportunities, the FBI did not share information with state and local authorities” about Nikolas Cruz.

The FBI is reviewing its handling of the case and will report findings to Congress.