'U.S. would do better if everyone stopped smoking marijuana': 'Cold and calculated' Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz blames POT for 2018 massacre as he pleads guilty, apologizes to victims' families and now faces possible death sentence
- Nikolas Cruz entered guilty pleas to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School this morning
- Now 23, Cruz was a 19-year-old expelled student with a history of mental health and behavioral issues at the time of the 'cold, calculated and premeditated' killings
- At the hearing Cruz said he was experiencing 'anxiety' but understood the nature of the proceedings
- At his sentencing Cruz addressed the victims and their families. 'I am very sorry for what I did and I have to live with it everyday,' he said
- 'I hate drugs and I believe this country would do better if everyone would stop smoking marijuana... I'm trying my best to maintain my composure,' he added
- Cruz previously admitted to using a lot of marijuana and had taken a lot of the prescription tranquilizer Xanax
- Cruz's change of plea from not guilty would open the penalty phase in which a jury would decide whether he should be sentenced to life in prison or death
- On February 14, 2018 Cruz ordered an Uber to drop him off at the high school, where he had been expelled for the 2016-17 school year
- He activated the fire alarm and then opened fire for a total of six minutes
- He told cops that a menacing voice - which he called Demon - instructed him to execute the massacre, which he admitted to planning a week before
