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Gunman Nikolas Cruz covers his face as court watches DISTRESSING videos from Parkland shooting

While Nikolas Cruz held his head in his hands as the recordings were played, family members of the victims could be seen crying or leaving the room

Warning: Content may be distressing, viewer discretion is advised

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA: A jury is set to determine if confessed Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz will be sentenced to death. On Monday, July 18, opening arguments in the penalty phase of Cruz's trial began. The trial is expected to take several months, at the end of which the jury's decision has to be unanimous to sentence him to death.

Cruz, then 19, shot dead 14 students and three staff members at his former school Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in South Florida, on February 14, 2018. Describing the massacre as a "planned, systematic ... mass murder", Prosecutor Mike Satz said in his opening statement, "Three days before the massacre, Cruz made a video saying, 'My name is Nik. I'm going to be the next school shooter of 2018. My goal is at least 20 people with an AR-15 and some tracer rounds. It's gonna be a big event and when you see me on the news you'll know who I am. You're all gonna die. ... I can't wait.'"

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Cruz pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder last fall in connection with the shooting. He appeared alongside his defense team in several photos at the trial. In some of the photos, he can be seen holding his head in his hands as horrifying videos from inside classrooms during the shooting were played. The videos provoked emotional reactions from the families of victims who were present in court.

Cruz, surrounded by his defense team, sat with his head down and doodled. Videos recorded by former Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Danielle Gilbert, who was the second witness to be called on the stand, were played in the courtroom. Jurors were able to watch the videos but the gallery could only hear the audio clips. While Cruz held his head in his hands as the recordings played, family members of the victims could be seen crying or leaving the room. Gilbert, too, cried on the stand. 

While Gilbert was the second witness, Brittany Sinitch, a teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, was the prosecution's first witness who was called to the stand. Sinitch described how gunfire simply did not seem to stop. Sinitch's 911 call during the shooting was not audible as the sound of gunfire drowned her voice. She said that she called 911 after "I heard the loudest sound" of gunfire. "It just wouldn't stop," she said, claiming gunfire "kept going and going and going." In the 911 call, which was played in court, the operator can be heard saying, "Hello? You still there?" "Talk to me, please!" as Sinitch remained inaudible. 

'No sympathy for him'

Cruz's reaction when the recordings were played has prompted various reactions on social media. "Looks like the gravity of his actions may have gotten through to him," one user wrote. Another wrote, "No sympathy for him. HE alone caused this horror." "He shouldn’t be able to hide behind that mask and as another person said- told to keep his head up," one user said. 

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"Oh, so scripted for sure. It’s insane the narrative the defense has tried to paint for him. He has no remorse at all," one user said, while another wrote, "Sucks when the reality sinks in and it isn’t a cool game anymore." One user wrote, "He needs to pick his head up. He was the one that did it, and made 3 families leave the courtroom."

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