‘My firstborn taken from me’: Ilan Alhadeff, dad of Parkland victim lashes out at Nikolas Cruz trial
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA: A shattered father burst out in anger while giving a heartwrenching victim impact statement at the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz on Tuesday, August 2.
Nikolas Cruz had killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School nearly four years ago on the afternoon of February 14, 2018. Dr Ilan Alhadeff told the jury about his 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa, the captain of her soccer team, who was one of the victims of the shooting.
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Dr Ilan Alhadeff recalled his daughter's "infectious laugh," which he can only hear when he watches her TikTok videos.
The internal medicine physician said, "My firstborn daughter, daddy's girl, was taken from me," adding, "I get to watch my friends, my neighbors, colleagues spend time enjoying their daughters, enjoying all the normal milestones, taking in the normal joys, and I only get to watch videos or go to the cemetery to see my daughter."
Nikolas, 23, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder for the mass shooting in October 2021, which is said to be the deadliest high school shooting in United States history, surpassing the Columbine High School massacre that killed 15 in Colorado in April 1999.
Jurors present at the penalty trial in Fort Lauderdale will vote on whether to sentence Nikolas to death or life imprisonment on each count of murder.
The father was one of many victims' family members who delivered victim impact statements. During the testimony, Nikolas showed little emotion as several of his attorneys wiped away tears.
Gina, Luke Hoyer's mom, said her 15-year-old son was her "miracle baby." Remembering that morning he left for school, Luke had thanked her for the card and Skittles she had put in his room for Valentine's Day.
His father, Tom, did not see his son that day but recalls saying to him, "have a good day," before he rushed to work. He said, "that is the kind of exchange you have when you think you have tomorrow."
Annika Dworet told jurors about her 17-year-old son Nick, who was a star swimmer who received a scholarship to the University of Indianapolis. His little brother, Alex, was also wounded in the shooting.
She said, "Our hearts will forever be broken," adding that "we will always live with excruciating pain. We have an empty bedroom in our house. There is an empty chair at our dining table. Alex will never have a brother to talk or hang out with. They will never again go for a drive, blasting very loud music. We did not get to see Nick graduate from high school or college. We will never see him get married."