Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said on Wednesday that deputies Edward Eason and Josh Stambaugh had been sacked for their inaction at the time of the Feb. 14, 2018, shooting.

"In essence, it was neglect of duty. We lost 17 people," Tony said.

A state investigative commission found that Stambaugh was working an off-duty shift at a nearby school when he responded to reports of shots fired at the school.

He got out of his truck, put on his bulletproof vest and took cover for about five minutes after hearing the shots, according to body camera footage. He then drove to a nearby highway instead of going toward the school.

Eason ran the other way as gunfire continued, then spent time putting on his bulletproof vest and body camera while the carnage continued, investigators said.

Eason was also faulted for not writing an official report after receiving a tip in February 2016 that the shooting suspect, Nikolas Cruz, was making threats on social media to shoot up a school. Tips to the FBI about Cruz also were not followed up, a separate investigation has found.

Two other deputies were fired earlier this month for neglect of duty. One of those was school resource officer Scot Peterson, who was also arrested on charges of child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury. Peterson's lawyer has said he will fight the charges.

Scott Israel, the sheriff at the time, was removed from office for similar reasons. He is appealing against that decision before the state Senate.

Cruz, 20, faces the death penalty if convicted in the shootings. His lawyers have said he will plead guilty in return for a life prison sentence but prosecutors have rejected that offer.

Australian Associated Press