Heartwrenching moment ex-FBI agent breaks down during Florida school shooting interview

In February 2018, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency official broke down in tears during a television interview while discussing a school shooting in Broward County, Florida.

Speaking on CNN, former intelligence official Phil Mudd became highly emotional during a segment with anchor Wolf Blitzer. Mudd wept as he lamented that a child had died, asking if the country could acknowledge that it cannot accept such violence. He cut his own remarks short, stating he was unable to continue, which prompted Blitzer to transition the broadcast to another analyst.

The shooting, which took place at a school in Parkland, Florida, left at least 17 people dead after a 19-year-old former student opened fire. Local authorities reported multiple fatalities and at least 14 victims, though the exact breakdown of those killed and injured was not immediately clear. The incident was the fifth school shooting of the year in which a gun was discharged and victims were injured or killed.

Following the tragedy, Senator Chris Murphy spoke about the incident, attributing the prevalence of such shootings in the United States to government inaction on gun legislation.