Gunfire rang out once again at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, as part of a chilling reenactment of the 2018 massacre that claimed the lives of 17 students and staff members. The reenactment was organized as part of a lawsuit against Scot Peterson, the former sheriff's deputy accused of failing to protect the students and staff during the six-minute attack. Peterson, who was armed at the time, has claimed that he did not rush in to help because he did not know where the gunshots were coming from, a claim that the victims' families aim to disprove.

Ballistics experts conducted the reenactment by firing 139 bullets inside the three-story school building using the same type of AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle that Nikolas Cruz used during the shooting. The shots were fired in the same areas of the building where Cruz struck. Peterson, who was expected to be present as an observer, did not participate. The city notified local residents that they would hear gunfire throughout the day, and the sounds could be heard from more than a mile away.

Prior to the reenactment, a delegation of nine members of Congress, including six Democrats and three Republicans on the House School Safety and Security Caucus, toured the blood-stained and bullet-pocked halls of the school. The congress members then had a roundtable meeting with parents and spouses of the victims in the same hotel ballroom where they had learned of their loved ones' deaths.

Nikolas Cruz, a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the shootings in 2021. Peterson, on the other hand, faced criminal charges related to his alleged failure to act during the shooting but was acquitted in June.

The lawsuit against Peterson and the Broward Sheriff's Office, brought by the victims' families, accuses Peterson of knowing Cruz's location but failing to perform his duty to protect the students. The families are seeking unspecified damages.

The reenactment, which was allowed by Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips, is intended to disprove some of the statements made during Peterson's criminal trial. However, it has not yet been determined whether the recording of the reenacted gunfire will be admissible as evidence at trial. A trial date has not yet been set.

The reenactment took place while the school was closed for summer break. The building, which still bears the marks of the 2018 massacre, is scheduled to be demolished after the reenactment. The structure has remained locked behind a chain-link fence and has been used as evidence in Cruz's trial.

The families of the victims hope that the reenactment will shed light on Peterson's actions during the shooting and hold him accountable for his alleged failure to protect their loved ones. The reenactment will also help the jury determine whether Peterson actually heard the gunshots and could have acted differently.

The reenactment has triggered a range of emotions in the Parkland community, including trauma and painful memories. To support residents, Eagles' Haven, a community wellness center, has organized several programs including yoga, tai chi, a drum circle, and meditation.

Before the reenactment, a group of congress members toured the building, witnessing the aftermath of the shooting firsthand. After the reenactment, the school district plans to demolish the building, bringing closure to a painful chapter in Parkland's history.