Who was Chris Hixon? Parkland victim's special needs son Cory Hixon gives HEARTBREAKING testimony
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA: Fort Lauderdale court witnessed one of the most emotional testimonies at the sentencing trial of Douglas High School killer Nikolas Cruz on Thursday, August 4. One of the Florida prosecutors asked the special needs son of the late athletic director, Chris Hixon, if there was anything he wanted to tell jurors about his father.
Corey Hixon, son of the late athletic director, stated, “Yeah,” and looked at his mom nervously, who joined him on the stand. Corey told the jurors, "I miss him" and then leaned towards his mother sobbing for the next few moments. When the jurors asked, if he has any specific memories of his dear father, he said, "Every Saturday we ran to Dunkin’ Donuts and walked back”. The silence in the court after the statement defined the devastating turn of Corey on the stand.
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While sharing his memories, Corey hugged his mother repeatedly, seeking emotional support. However, his mother stood strong comforting her son throughout the procedures. Corey is diagnosed with Kabuki Syndrome which is a multisystem disorder characterized by numerous abnormalities. It can affect facial features, growth delays, varying degrees of intellectual disability, skeletal abnormalities, and short stature. He was seen wearing a burgundy bow tie, a crisp white shirt, and a black suit to court. While he was speaking, Cruz was seen looking down and putting his hands on his head. The testimony left most of Cruz’s defense attorneys in tears. Hixon is a former military veteran who has also served as a security monitor and is still remembered as one of the most supportive, knowledgable, and dedicated staffers of Douglas High School.
In earlier testimony, Debbie Hixon, Wife of Chris Hixon said, "His loss has left us broken. We have a void in our lives that will never be filled. He was an extraordinary man living an ordinary life,” Corey's brother, Thomas Hixon, has also made his statement through video conferencing, "Military service was a bond as father and son and I was a better Marine and leader because of what he taught me,” he said, adding, “He will always be remembered for his courage, his leadership, and his humor". However, Prosecutors concluded their case on Thursday, August 4, hoping jurors will observe Cruz’s murder of 17 people including 14 kids and three teachers for the death penalty than life imprisonment. The case which has adjourned for a week will resume with the arguments of the defense, who is expected to argue regarding his traumatic upbringing of Cruz was a mitigating factor in the mass shooting and that a life term is appropriate.
Who is Chris Hixon?
Christopher Brent Hixon, better known as Chris Hixon, was one of the victims of the Douglas High School. He was killed by Cruz in the Parkland shooting massacre. Chris was a military veteran as well as a wrestling coach. He was appointed as the athletics director at Douglas High School in Parkland, USA, and was also in charge of the security wing at the school. On February 14, 2018, Cruz attacked the school with an AR-15 gun and killed 17 lives including 14 children. After hearing the gunshots, Chris rushed towards the sound to save the children. While assisting some of the students to move out of the campus, he was tragically shot by Cruz and collapsed. Chris died at the hospital the following day
#CoreyHixon, the son of Parkland shooting victim #ChrisHixon, broke down in tears saying that he misses his dad. pic.twitter.com/Kzc65vJyg5
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) August 4, 2022