Broward County Jail via Assocaited Press
This photo provided by the Broward County Jail shows Nikolas Cruz.
- The FBI admitted it didn't follow protocols when it received a tip on the Florida school shooting suspect.
- Nikolas Cruz, 19, allegedly killed 17 people when he opened fire on his former high school on Wednesday.
- The FBI said a person close to Cruz had called in, warning about Cruz's desire to kill people.
The FBI said Friday it failed to follow protocols in handling a tip on the suspected Florida high-school shooter, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, who allegedly killed 17 people on Wednesday.
A person close to Cruz had phoned the FBI's tipline last month to report details about his "gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting," the FBI said in a statement.
"Under established protocols, the information provided by the caller should have been assessed as a potential threat to life," the statement continued. "The information then should have been forwarded to the FBI Miami field office, where appropriate investigative steps would have been taken."
FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement the bureau is investigating the incident and intends to get "to the bottom of what happened."
"We have spoken with victims and families, and deeply regret the additional pain this causes all those affected by this horrible tragedy," Wray said.
More and more details have emerged in recent days from Cruz's former classmates, teachers, and neighbors about a pattern of disturbing behavior he displayed.
Cruz reportedly flaunted photos of his guns, introduced himself as a "school shooter," and had frequent run-ins with law enforcement.
The FBI also received a tip from a YouTube vlogger about a comment from a user who called himself "Nikolas Cruz." The comment said he wanted to be a "professional school shooter," but the FBI said it couldn't confirm the identity of the user.