(CNN) -- Confessed Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz intends to plead guilty, Broward County Public Defender Howard Finkelstein said Friday. Finkelstein said the object is to avoid a painful trial and for Cruz not to get the death penalty.
For years before Nikolas Cruz gunned down classmates and teachers at his former high school, his mother had repeatedly called police to the home to help deal with his violent outbursts, threats and self-destructive behavior, according to police documents obtained by CNN on Friday.
News emerged in the wake of the nation's latest school shooting that the FBI had received warnings about the suspect prior to the deadly incident in Florida.
