"Get out of here": Parkland survivor Christopher McKenna testifies against Nikolas Cruz, recalls encounter with shooter

On Tuesday, mass shooting survivor Christopher McKenna provided a harrowing testimony against Nikolas Cruz, describing his brief interaction with the alleged shooter during the massacre at Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018.

On the day of the massacre, Nikolas Cruz allegedly entered the premises of his former high school armed with magazines and an AR-15 Style rifle before attacking students and staff. Prosecutors have charged him with 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder.

In his testimony, Christopher McKenna told the court that before the shooting, he came across Cruz, who warned him to leave.

McKenna said:

“When I saw him he told me, ‘you better get out of here. Things are going to get messy,’” McKenna said. “I was shocked, and I had a gut feeling of what he was about to do. My first instinct was to run.”

McKenna, a freshman at the time of the shooting, identified Cruz as the shooter in court.

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Christopher McKenna's testimony against Nikolas Cruz

Christopher McKenna testified in court that after Nikolas Cruz warned him to leave, he fled the building and approached a staff member, Aaron Feis, an assistant football coach. The latter was at the senior parking lot gate at the time.

Eagle Eye reported that upon being informed by McKenna of the threat, Feis took him to the baseball field in a golf cart, where he told the student to wait. Feis proceeded to enter the building to inspect the situation. He was one of the 3 staff members killed in the attack.

McKenna said:

“He told me to stay there while he was going to check it out. He went into the building and came out a hero.”

McKenna explained that in the aftermath of the shooting, he had doubts about whether or not he had made the correct decision of running from Cruz. He said that at this point, he has no regrets, however, he denies any claims that he is a hero. McKenna said that it is Aaron Feis who deserves that label.

He said:

“People are telling me that I did the right thing, and I feel like I did too. I could have been the first one gone if I tried to question [the shooter]. He had an AR-15 rifle right in his hand.”

Several survivors of the massacre have testified against Cruz. Cruz pleaded guilty to the mass shooting last October. The hearing will determine whether or not the alleged gunman will receive a life sentence or a death penalty.