Florida shooting: Mother makes impassioned plea for 'action' from Donald Trump as funerals for victims begin - as it happened

Follow the latest updates

Florida school student thanks Geography teacher who saved her

New details are emerging about Nikolas Cruz, 19, the teenager suspected of carrying out America's latest deadly mass shooting as the country once more finds itself reeling in horror from another eruption of gun violence.

Students and teachers at the Marjory Stoneman District School in Parkland, Florida, are struggling to come to terms with the shock attack on Valentine's Day that saw a masked gunman enter its grounds bearing smoke grenades and kill 17 people with an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle, injuring many others.

As attention turns towards the identity of his victims and the heroism of those who survived the attack, America once again finds itself asking difficult questions about the future of its gun control laws. But Donald Trump has looked to place the blame on mental health provisions – apparently suggesting in a tweet that people who knew the killer should have done more to report him to the authorities.

You can follow the latest updates on the atrocity's aftermath below:

Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load

Key Points

• New details emerge about 19-year-old suspect Nikolas Cruz after latest deadly mass shooting
• Debate once more turns focus on gun control
• Stories of heroism shared about the pupils and teachers who risked their lives to save others
• Victims of Valentine's Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman District High School set to be named

[16 February 2018 21:25 · Steve Anderson]

[16 February 2018 21:34 · Steve Anderson]

We're closing our coverage for now. Thank you for reading, more stories regarding the Florida shooting can be found on our homepage.