FLORIDA prosecutors said in a court filing on Tuesday that they will seek the death penalty against school shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz in the fatal shooting of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The office of Broward County State Attorney Michael Satz filed the formal notice which read:

“The state intends to seek the death penalty against defendant Nikolas Jacob Cruz”.

Cruz has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder for the massacre on February 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The 19-year-old Cruz is scheduled for formal arraignment on Wednesday on a 34-count indictment, including 17 first-degree murder charges. Cruz’s attorneys have said he would plead guilty if the death penalty was not pursued in the Valentine’s Day massacre. The action by prosecutors Tuesday does not necessarily mean a plea deal will not be reached.

The only other penalty option for Cruz is life in prison with no possibility of parole.