Updated March 20, 2018 12:38:20

Photo: Florida prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for accused school shooter Nikolas Cruz. (Reuters: Susan Stocker/Pool, File)

The brother of the teen charged with killing 17 people at a Florida school has been arrested for trespassing at the same school, authorities say.

Zachary Cruz, 18, was arrested at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and charged with trespassing on school grounds, a Broward Sheriff's Office report stated.

The teen was recorded by security cameras riding his skateboard at the school around 4:30pm (local time) though he had received prior warnings from school officials to stay away from the campus, the report said.

"[To] reflect on the school shooting and to soak it in," Zachary Cruz told the arresting deputy when asked about the reason he was there.

"[The teen] surpassed all locked doors and gates and proceeded to ride his skateboard through school grounds," the report said.

Names of the fourteen students and three teachers who died have been released by local authorities.

The youth's brother, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, has been charged with 17 counts of first-degree murder in connection with the February 14 shooting.

Documents in the criminal case against Mr Cruz, which were obtained by the Associated Press, have shown some officials had recommended in September 2016 that he be involuntarily committed for a mental evaluation, though the recommendation was never acted upon.

Such a commitment would have made it more difficult, if not impossible, for Mr Cruz to have legally obtained a gun such as the AR-15 assault-style rifle used in the shooting.

AP

Topics: law-crime-and-justice, crime, police, united-states

First posted March 20, 2018 12:37:15