Friday 5 August 2022 04:34 PM Special needs son of Parkland athletics director shot dead by Nikolas Cruz ... trends now
The special needs son of an athletics director who was shot dead during the Parkland school massacre gave a heartbreaking testimony - telling jurors how he misses his dad.
Corey Hixon's beloved father Christopher, who worked as an athletics director, was killed by Nikolas Cruz during the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida on February 14, 2018.
While on the stand at the sentencing trial, Corey was asked by the prosecutor if there was anything he wanted to say about his dead father.
Nervously, he responded 'yeah' before looking at his mother Debra Hixon and simply stating: 'I miss him.'
Corey Hixon told the sentencing trial 'I miss him' when speaking about his murdered father Christopher, who was shot dead by Cruz in the Parkland massacre
The man, who has a developmental disability, was comforted by his mother, window Debra Hixon
Christopher Hixon, 49, was a US Navy veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and was one of the 17 people shot dead at the high school. A picture of Christopher is held up by his grieving wife Debra
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz (center) stands with members of his defense team during the penalty phase of Cruz's trial at the Broward County Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale
The man, who has a developmental disability called Kabuki Syndrome, then leaned to his mother and sobbed - before telling jurors about his favorite memory with his father.
He said: 'It was Saturday, we ran to Denny Donuts and walked back.'
Attorneys in the courtroom were seen dabbing their eyes, while Cruz kept his head in his hands and looked down when Corey spoke - as he has for much of the trial.
Christopher Hixon, 49, was a US Navy veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and was one of the 17 people shot dead at the high school.
He was a trained military police officer and was fatally shot while running towards Cruz.
His widowed wife Debra also told the trial that his death created a void in the family's lives which could never be filled.
She said: 'His loss has left us broken. We have a void in our lives that will never be filled. He was an extraordinary man living an ordinary life.'
Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty in October to 17 counts of first-degree murder; the trial is only to determine if he is sentenced to death or life without parole.
The state’s prosecution team is now set to present evidence to seek the death penalty for Parkland school shooter Cruz
