WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-Florida), an alumnus of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, released the following statement on the expected demolition of the 1200 Building, the site of the deadliest high school shooting in American history:

“Our community was forever changed by the tragedy that occurred here on February 14, 2018. I never thought I’d see the high school where I graduated from turned into a war zone. What I’ve seen in that building is truly haunting – windows with bullet holes, homework scattered everywhere, blood in the hallway. The people of Parkland will no longer have to pass by this horrific reminder of our grief. The families of those innocent lives taken that day will never be able to move on, just move forward,” Moskowitz said.

In 2018, then-State Representative Moskowitz helped secure $25 million for a memorial as well as a new freshman building as part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act.

Moskowitz has led several walk-throughs of the building with families of the victims including: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, Republican and Democratic Members of Congress, state legislators, county commissioners, and school board members. The building has been completely untouched since the shooting, as it was used in the subsequent criminal trials. According to Moskowitz, it has shocked the conscience of those who see it in person and has emphasized the need for government officials to ensure that our kids are safe in school.

###