Florida School Shooting: How to Help Victims' Families and Survivors

Florida officials have directed those seeking to help victims’ families and survivors of Wednesday’s mass shooting to a GoFundMe page.

The Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund GoFundMe page has raised nearly $200,000 as of press time.

“Donations raised here will be used to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of the horrific shooting,” the page reads.

To Donate Blood

Local officials and national blood banks are holding blood drives for anyone in Parkland area.

On Thursday, the Broward County Sheriff’s Department is hosting a blood drive.

“There will be a blood drive to help victims of the #stonemanshooting at Cox Media, 2741 N 29th Ave. in Hollywood from 12-7,” the department tweeted.

OneBlood is accepting donations and urging anyone to donate who has Type O-negative blood — the universal blood type and can be used to treat most patients. The blood bank’s Orlando station is rushing blood to Broward Health North Hospital and Broward Health Medical Center, where victims are being treated.

Appointments to donate blood can be made on OneBlood’s website, or people can find a local donation center with the American Red Cross.

Broward County officials confirmed 17 people — adults and children — were killed in the shooting and at least 12 people were taken to area hospitals for injuries.

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said 12 people were killed within the school building, two people were killed just outside the building, one person was killed on a nearby street corner and two people died in the hospital.

The suspect, identified as Nikolas Cruz, 19, is in custody. He has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder. He is a former student of the school who got expelled for disciplinary reasons, said Israel.

Cruz has not yet entered a plea and is due to make a court appearance Thursday.