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Body camera video shows Forest High School shooting response

'I'm sorry,' accused gunman tells school resource officer

MARION COUNTY, Fla. – The Marion County Sheriff's Office released body camera video Thursday from the April shooting where one student was injured at Forest High School. 

The video was from the body camera of school resource officer Jim Long.

From Long's perspective, it shows him going down the hallway and checking one classroom. 

When he sees one room was barricaded and no one was inside, he went to another room where he found teacher Kelly Pansuk with her students. Bouche had surrounded to Pansuk moments after firing his weapon.

The video shows Long ordering 19-year-old Sky Bouche to the ground and handcuffing him.

During part of the video Bouche looked up at deputy Long and said, "I'm sorry." 

The Sheriff's Officer released photos of a pocket knife and bullets that Bouche had on him when he was arrested.

School surveillance video showed Bouche running up the steps of the school with a guitar case in hand, which contained a 16-gauge sawed-off shotgun.

Deputies also found his backpack, which contained a tactical vest, gloves and multiple shotgun shells. 

Authorities said Bouche entered the boy's restroom on the second floor of Building 1. He loaded his gun and put on his vest and gloves. The 19-year-old left the restroom armed. He passed one girl in the hallway, but she did not appear to notice his clothing or the fact that he was armed. He fired one round into a door of Classroom 212.

A bullet struck a 17-year-old student in the ankle. 

[RELATED: FBI flagged online comments made by accused Marion school shooter in 2013, documents show]

Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods showed the video to school board members Thursday afternoon during a safety meeting. He said he wanted members to take something away from the video.

"Our children were safe. Our children came home. Every one of them. We did not have a death out of it and that's what I wanted them to take out of this," Woods said. 

School board members discussed the video on Thursday during a working meeting and what went well the morning of the shooting, as well as what can be improved.

Board member Bobby James mentioned concerns about communication between law enforcement, school officials and parents the day of the shooting. 

He told the sheriff it wasn't just a confusion at Forest High School, but West Port High School as law enforcement raced to the school after rumors of possible threats there.

"There's always communication issues and that's probably the biggest thing. Where can we improve whether it be between each entity or whether it be the radio transmission itself. I think those are the biggest things that we need to correct," Woods said.

[READ: Officers to be present at every Marion County school following shooting]

The sheriff said the county's emergency management team is working to enhance repeaters around the county.

"Basically, it's a relay. It's a point that a radio signal can get to and it gets to the main one," Woods said. "What they're working on is trying to figure out how we can get repeaters for each of these locations at the schools. One to enhance our radio reception, our phone reception and also our schools radio system reception as well."

The 19-year-old accused gunman is charged with possession of a short-barreled shotgun, interference in school function, armed trespassing on school property, possession of a firearm on school property, carrying a concealed firearm, culpable negligence and aggravated assault with a firearm.

Bouche entered a not guilty plea to all charges on May 8. He will remain in the Marion County jail with no bond until his trial begins August 20.


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