A Florida jury has recommended that the Parkland gunman responsible for the death of17 people in a 2018 school shooting be spared the death penalty. 

The jury of seven men and five women sentenced Mr Cruz to life in prison without the possibility of parole for all 17 first-degree murder counts. 

On Thursday, the jury decided that Nikolas Cruz, who carried out the shooting attack, should not be condemned to death and instead should spend the rest of his life in prison.

His sentencing trial spanned over three months as the jury heard arguments for and against recommending the death penalty. A judge will decide a final verdict on sentencing on November 1.

On February 14, 2018, Mr Cruz killed 17 people and wounded 17 in seven minutes, shooting students and staff in the school’s hallways, classrooms and grounds. He escaped the scene, blending in with fleeing students but was arrested later that day.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed disappointment with the Jury’s decision. 

“I just don’t think anything else is appropriate except a capital sentence,” Mr DeSantis said. 

Under Florida’s current laws, a unanimous vote is required to favour the death penalty after a jury weighs the evidence in the case. If even one juror dissents, the death penalty is discarded, and the defendant will be handed down a life sentence without parole.