Scot Peterson

A Florida sheriff's deputy who was assailed as a "coward" for failing to confront the Parkland school shooter in February last year was arrested Tuesday on 11 criminal charges including child neglect.

The armed school resource officer assigned to protect students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School took a defensive position outside the school and did not enter the building while the shooter was killing students and teachers inside with an AR-15 assault-style rifle, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Thursday.

A Florida sheriff's deputy who was assailed as a "coward" for failing to confront the Parkland school shooter in February last year was arrested Tuesday on 11 criminal charges including child neglect.

The armed school resource officer assigned to protect students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School took a defensive position outside the school and did not enter the building while the shooter was killing students and teachers inside with an AR-15 assault-style rifle, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said Thursday.