The suspect, a reputed gun lover who had been expelled from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, was charged on Thursday with 17 counts of premeditated murder, a day after the massacre.
Following are profiles of some of the victims, whose names were not officially released but whose loved ones posted memorials on social media:
Aaron Feis, 37, coach
Altruism and courage are what drove Feis, an assistant football coach, to give his life to save others, the local sheriff and others said.
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“The kids in this community loved him, they adored him ... He was killed tragically, inhumanely, he did it protecting others,” Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel told a news conference.
In a tweet, the high school football team said Feis, who was married with a baby daughter, “selflessly shielded students from the shooter when he was shot. He died a hero.”
Scott Beigel, 35, social science teacher
A favorite teacher known for his selflessness, Beigel was seen trying to lock his classroom door to protect his students when he was killed, pupil Kelsey Friend told local media. She texted her mother as Beigel lay bleeding, “My teacher’s on the ground!” her mother told local media.
Beigel also served as a staff member at Camp Starlight, a predominately Jewish summer camp in Starlight, Pennsylvania, which said in a Facebook post that he was a “beloved friend and hero.”
Chris Hixon, 49, athletic director
Like his father before him, Hixon was a wrestling coach who inspired all of the school’s athletic teams to give their best, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper. As a result, under Hixon’s leadership, the Eagle’s baseball team won a state and national championship in 2016. Hixon, who had children of his own, was married.
Alyssa Alhadeff, 14, student
Alhadeff was a dual athlete in track and soccer, her grandmother told Miami television station. Parkland Soccer Club said on Facebook that she was a “loved and well-respected member of our club” who would be “greatly missed.”
Jaime Guttenberg, student
Guttenberg, a freshman who was a talented dancer, was a graceful as a gazelle while delighting her dance teachers with an impish sense of humor, according to Facebook posts. “Dance in Heaven beautiful girl,” posted mentor Michelle McGrath Gerlick.
Nicholas Dworet, 17, student
Dworet, a star athlete, loved swimming. His talent and skills landed him a swimming scholarship to the University of Indianapolis, according to a tweet from @ggreenwald.
Martin Duque, 14, student
Brotherly love seemed to infuse the life of Martin Duque, who local media described as a freshman whose older brother Miguel graduated from Douglas High last year.
Alongside an Instagram photograph of the brothers embracing in a handshake, Miguel wrote: ”Words can not describe my pain ... I love brother Martin you’ll be missed buddy.”
Gina Rose Montalto, 14, student
The school’s Color Guard was made that much brighter when 14-year-old Montalto joined the squad, her instructors said on social media. “She was a smart, loving, caring and strong girl who brightened any room she entered,” her mother said on Facebook.
Joaquin Oliver, 17, student
The Venezuela-born senior had a strong appreciation for music and sports, according to the trail of social media posts he left behind. A new US citizen, the extroverted Oliver often joked around but also was very caring, friends told The Daily Beast.
Meadow Pollack, 18, student
The excitement of college loomed for Pollack, a senior who planned to attend Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, her father told the Palm Beach Post.
Family grounded her, she said on Facebook. “Nothing makes me happier than my grandma and her smile,” read one of her posts.
Carmen Schentrup, student
An outstanding student, Schentrup distinguished herself in her senior year as a 2018 National Merit Scholar semifinalist.
