School shooter has ties to white supremacist group in Florida

The gunman who opened fire on his former high school, killing 17 people Wednesday, was linked to a white supremacist group that sought to create a "white ethnostate" in Florida.

A spokesperson for the group, called Republic of Florida (ROF), admitted that accused gunman Nikolas Cruz, was associated with the group, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Cruz, 19, has been charged with premeditated murder after killing 17 people and injuring 14 more at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Individuals claiming to be ROF members identified Cruz as a group member on the discussion forum 4chan, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Jordan Jereb, based in Tallahassee, is believed to be the leader of ROF.

Jereb said that Cruz was connected to the group, and had been “brought up” by another member, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Cruz had participated in at least one ROF training session, Jereb told the Anti-Defamation League.

ROF, an alt right supremacist group, claims members in north and south Florida.

It embraces paramilitary concepts from the anti-government extremist militia movement, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

The group describes itself as a “white civil rights organization fighting for white identitarian politics.” Its goal is to create a “white ethnostate” in Florida.

Jereb said that ROF did not condone the school shooting.