UPDATE: 6:45 p.m. EDT -- The death toll from the Florida high school shooting is 17, according to reports.

Original story:

Nikolas de Jesus Cruz was identified by police as the suspected shooter Wednesday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Cruz, 19, was arrested an hour after he left Stoneman Douglas, Sheriff Scott Israel said during a press conference. Cruz, who reportedly used an AR-15-style automatic rifle, was taken into custody by the Broward County Sheriff's Office at about 4 p.m. EST at a home not far from the school, authorities said. Police believe he acted alone in the shooting.

Cruz formerly attended Stoneman and was previously suspected to be a potential threat.

"We were told last year that he wasn’t allowed on campus with a backpack on him," Jim Gard, a math teacher who taught Cruz last year, told the Miami Herald. "There were problems with him last year threatening students, and I guess he was asked to leave campus.

"We received no warnings. Potentially there could have been signs out there. But we didn't have any warning or phone calls or threats that were made."

In 2015 and 2016, Cruz used the name "Nikolas Cruz" to post multiple photos of weapons on Instagram, Heavy reported. He also left statements about wanting to purchase such weaponry.

"I plan on getting this but I need more information on it so if someone could give advice on how much I'm spending and background checks please to god let me know," Cruz wrote.

IBT will continue to update this story.

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