The FBI has warned state and local police authorities that the “threat environment” they face is increasingly dangerous, a signal that the Florida school shooting won’t be the last.
In a memo to law enforcement executives around the country several days after the February 14 shooting in Parkland, Florida, the agency also confessed that it fumbled the multiple indications that alleged shooter Nikolas Cruz was a threat to schools.
Dave Bowdich, deputy director of the FBI, said in the email, “One of the key elements in prevention is empowering the public to report suspicious activity that may identify an individual prior to an event. In this case the public notified the FBI about their suspicions of the alleged shooter. If the protocol had been followed, this information should have been assessed as a potential threat to life and routed to the local field office for appropriate handling, which would have also allowed us to share the information with local authorities. That did not happen in this instance.”
Among some in law enforcement, the FBI has a reputation for not sharing intelligence on potential criminals. In the Florida school shooting case that left 17 dead, they shared very little.
Still, Bowdich pledged to work “shoulder to shoulder” with local law enforcement.
Also in his memo, he gave the warning about more threats when he referenced “an ever-increasing and complex threat environment.”
The full memo is below:
You are all aware of the tragedy that unfolded on February 14, in Parkland, Florida.
Director Wray and I feel it is important that you know the process we are undertaking within the FBI to ensure thorough accountability involving this tragedy and complete transparency to the public and our law enforcement partners.
One of the key elements in prevention is empowering the public to report suspicious activity that may identify an individual prior to an event. In this case the public notified the FBI about their suspicions of the alleged shooter. If the protocol had been followed, this information should have been assessed as a potential threat to life and routed to the local field office for appropriate handling, which would have also allowed us to share the information with local authorities. That did not happen in this instance. An internal investigation is under way to determine why the process failed.
I want to assure you that the FBI is committed to sharing all threat information requiring immediate action with our state and local law enforcement partners in order to protect loss of life. You have my assurance that we will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with you to protect our communities in an ever-increasing and complex threat environment.
You can expect to receive additional information from my team as we continue our review.
Dave Bowdich
Deputy Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
