The arrest of the former school resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has prompted strong reactions from litigators representing those affected by the February 2018 mass shooting that left 17 dead and 17 injured at the Parkland school.

On Tuesday outgoing Broward State Attorney Mike Satz announced Scot Peterson, the former Broward Sheriff's deputy who served as the school resource officer of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School at the time of the tragedy, had been arrested and indicted on 11 criminal counts.

Peterson, who is also facing civil litigation in Broward Circuit Court, has been charged with seven counts of child neglect, three counts of culpable negligence and one count of perjury. Both prosecutors and the families of students impacted by the massacre have alleged Peterson, who was armed at the time of shooter Nicolas Cruz's attack, responded inadequately to the threat, causing further harm to befall those inside on the school.

David Brill, the Weston attorney representing the father of shooting victim Meadow Pollack in a suit against Peterson, referred to the former deputy as “a liar and a disgrace to the badge” on Wednesday.

“He cowered while the din of rifle fire raged near him,” Brill said. “The levying of criminal charges against him doesn't bring back any of the innocent lives that he could have and should have saved. But it validates our position and provides a semblance of accountability and justice.”

Brill's sentiment was shared by Fort Lauderdale lawyer Alex Arreaza, who is representing survivor Anthony and his parents in their civil action against Peterson in Broward Circuit Court. The attorney said Peterson's arrest “has been a long time coming.”

“We're starting to see the accountability we've been seeking for the last 18 months,” Arreaza said, commending the state attorney's office for taking “a brave step forward” in filing the criminal charges against Peterson.

Arreaza contended the criminal case against Peterson bolstered his own clients' lawsuit. “The fact that they're doing this will strengthen the civil argument saying that his actions were willful and wanton,” he said.

Read the motion to reduce Scot Peterson's bond: 

Michael Piper of Fort Lauderdale law firm Johnson, Anselmo, Murdoch, Burke, Piper & Hochman represented Peterson in Broward Circuit Court. In an oral statement Piper said he and his legal team were taken aback by their client's arrest.

“Having represented law enforcement agencies and law enforcement officers in civil matters for more than 30 years, from both a legal perspective and a professional perspective we are surprised — to put it as gently as we can — at what transpired yesterday and at the manner in which it was orchestrated,” Piper said. The attorney called the charges against Peterson “astounding” and deferred further comment to Joseph DiRuzzo, counsel in the criminal case.

In a statement provided to the Daily Business Review, DiRuzzo said Peterson cannot face charges because he is legally not a caregiver, an individual such as a parent considered to be responsible for a child's welfare by law.

“Indeed, the definition of 'other person responsible for a child's welfare' expressly excludes law enforcement officers acting in an official capacity,” DiRuzzo said. The attorney cited a lack of precedent for prosecuting police officers responding to mass shootings to contend his client was not criminally negligent in his actions, and the charges against him should be dismissed.

“Let there be no mistake, the actions taken today against my client should concern the American public and every public employee who, under the state's misguided legal theory, could be criminally liable for actions taken as a 'caregiver,' ” DiRuzzo said. “ The individuals who have made this charging decision have taken the easy way out and blamed Mr. Peterson for the actions on Feb. 14, 2018, when there has only ever been one person to blame: Nikolas Cruz.”

In a motion to reduce his client's $102,000 bond, DiRuzzo argued Peterson did not pose a threat to the community and ought to be released on his own recognizance.

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