Sun Sentinel Wins Pulitzer Prize in Public Service for Its Coverage of Parkland Shooting

The South Florida Sun Sentinel won a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the biggest and most important of journalism's awards, for its coverage of the mass shooting at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The committee cited a series of stories, perhaps the best of which was "Unprepared and Overwhelmed,"...

By Chuck Strouse

April 15, 2019

Eventbrite

Audio By Carbonatix

[
        {
          "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
          "component": "16971022",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
          "component": "18617832",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "15769925",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Rectangle 2x - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782206",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782207",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

The South Florida Sun Sentinel won a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the biggest and most important of journalism's awards, for its coverage of the mass shooting at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The committee cited a series of stories, perhaps the best of which was "Unprepared and Overwhelmed," a recreation of the shooting in video, sound clips, and graphics that stunningly told the story of the victims' deaths — and the authorities' lack of preparation for the shooting.

Another part of the package described a judge's scolding of the newspaper for printing information about shooter Nikolas Cruz and warnings that authorities had about him.

The Pulitzer jury included two South Floridians, Casey Frank, investigations editor at the Miami Herald, and Mike Wilson, a longtime Herald staffer who now works at the Dallas Morning News. The panel also included New Yorker editor David Remnick.

The prize is the second big Pulitzer in just a few years at the newspaper. In 2013, the newspaper won in Public Service for a series on speeding police officers.

There was a time when the Sentinel stood in the Miami Herald's shadow, but with this Pulitzer, and following the last one, it has truly come into its own as a local journalistic powerhouse.

Chuck Strouse is the former editor in chief of Miami New Times. He has shared two Pulitzer Prizes and won dozens of other awards. He is an honors graduate of Brown University and has worked at newspapers including the Miami Herald and Los Angeles Times.

A message from Editor-in-Chief Tom Finkel: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of essential stories and to investigate issues that matter.

Support Today