According to CNN, when Nikolas Cruz was arrested in February 2018, he was taken to Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. However, he was first placed in the infirmary before being moved to a jail cell. The publication notes that due to the shooting’s notoriety, Cruz was isolated from other prisoners. In the days after the massacre, deputies observed that he was calm and composed. Additionally, he was soft-spoken and was described as being “cooperative” and “well-groomed” with a “quiet demeanor.” However, it did seem that Cruz was not sleeping and often stared at the ceiling or into space. His younger brother and a family friend also visited the shooter.
Nine months after his arrest, USA Today writes that Cruz was involved in an altercation with a guard named Sgt. Raymond Beltran. The attack was actually recorded by surveillance cameras (via YouTube). Tony Montalto, a parent who lost their daughter in the Parkland Shooting, stated (via USA Today), “The accused murderer who took our children’s lives is clearly violent and took that out on a guard. He needs to face the justice system for that.”
Per AP News, the scuffle began when Beltran told Cruz to stop dragging his feet. Cruz then flipped him off and charged at him. Beltran was able to push Cruz to the floor to handcuff and place him back into his cell (via News4JAX). Cruz is now facing an additional 15-year sentence if he is convicted of criminal battery of a law enforcement officer. CBS News states that Cruz pled guilty to the charge in October 2021.
