A veteran counterterrorism expert and former FBI agent broke down in tears during a live CNN segment on the deaths of 17 people at a school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Phil Mudd, CNN”s counterterrorism analyst, was discussing the Wednesday massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the 18th school shooting of 2018, with CNN host Wolf Blitzer, before he became visibly distressed and overcome with emotion.
“I have ten nieces and nephews, we’re talking about bump stocks, we’re talking about legislation,” Mudd said. “A child of God is dead, we cannot accept this.”
“I can’t do it, Wolf, I’m sorry, I can’t do it,” he added.
Blitzer cut away from Mudd, continuing, “We’re going to get back to you. You’re obviously, this is so emotional.”
“Unfortunately it happens all too often,” he said. “And people say we’ve got to learn some and, as a result people say we’ve got to learn some lessons.”
“Unfortunately lessons are never, never learned,” he added.
Seventeen people have been confirmed dead and fifteen more injured in the mass shooting. The alleged suspect has been identified by police as ex-pupil Nikolas Cruz, who is now in custody.
The shooting was among the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history.
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