VIDEO - Local law enforcement: No known ties between militia and school shooter

Jordan Jereb, local leader for the Republic of Florida, a separatist group on the Southern Poverty Law Center's Hate Watch

Authorities say Nikolas Cruz, a former student, opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018, killing more than a dozen people and injuring several. (Photo: Broward County Jail)

Local law enforcement sources have not found a connection between accused Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz and a Tallahassee-based paramilitary group.

Leon County law enforcement sources told the Tallahassee Democrat that they could not find information linking Cruz, 19, to the Republic of Florida Militia, as claimed by the group’s self-proclaimed leader Jordan Jereb.

His comments to the Anti-Defamation League and The Associated Press set off a media firestorm Thursday at about midday that Cruz was connected to the alt-right, white nationalist group.

Hours after news outlets around the nation reported Cruz's alleged ties, Leon County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Grady Jordan told the Tallahassee Democrat investigative work did not yield any connections.

“We are still doing some work but we have no known ties between the ROF, Jordan Jereb or the Broward shooter,” Jordan said.

Jordan and other law enforcement sources declined to confirm whether they had spoken to Jereb, who is no stranger to Tallahassee law enforcement.

Cruz entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Wednesday, investigators say, with an AR-15 and opened fire, killing 17 people and injuring 14. He faces 17 counts of premeditated murder.

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Jereb said Cruz was a member of the group and had participated in paramilitary training drills in Tallahassee.

In a brief phone call with the Tallahassee Democrat, Jereb said there was “No way to put a good spin on all of this."

 (Photo: Leon County Jail)

“This is a negative situation,” he added before hanging up to speak with ABC News.

Jereb did not answer repeated phone calls following law enforcement officials saying they found little to lead them to believe Cruz was connected to the organization which has a scant following of around a dozen members.

“He was going to close the door and then he got shot.,” said Marjory Stoneman Douglas student Anna Cecilia Girao Feb. 14, 2018. LUCAS DAPRILE/TCPALM

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“I’m gonna take her home and hold her and love her” Monique Golberg said after being reunited with her daughter after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

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Jillian Davis was in JROTC class with the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland. Cruz killed 17 people in the mass shooting on Feb. 14, 2018. Wochit

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Doctors treated 8 patients and the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, at Broward Health North after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on Feb. 14, 2018. MELISSA E. HOLSMAN/TCPALM

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It was near dismissal time Wednesday as hundreds of students were preparing to leave Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County when gunshots rang out Feb. 14, 2018. EMILY BOHATCH/TCPALM

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A press conference is expected at Broward Health North hospital where several of the Parkland shooting victims were taken Wednesday, FEb. 14, 2018. MELISSA HOLSMAN/TCPALM

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Tammy Venter's 10th-grade daughter was in the school, but managed to call her mother about what was happening. Wochit

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Florida's 67 school districts this year are sharing $64.4 million, an amount unchanged for the last seven years despite countless pleas from educators. ANDREW ATTERBURY/TCPALM Wochit

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New York Mets pitcher Anthony Swarzak grew up in Broward County and had family members who attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. "My heart aches for the families." JON SANTUCCI/TCPALM

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Jereb, a self-described "right-wing extremist nut," faced charges in 2016 after threatening a high-ranking staff member of Gov. Rick Scott's office.

Related:'Extremist nut' arrested after threatening Scott staffer

Jereb is known to ride a bike through neighborhoods wearing paramilitary garb and stand at the side of the road with an ROF flag. He has filmed numerous run-ins with law enforcement in Tallahassee in which he consistently tells officers when he is stopped, "I'm a free man traveling the land."

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.

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