PARKLAND (CNN) - Nikolas Cruz, the gunman who carried out the massacre of students and faculty members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018, pleaded guilty Wednesday to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder.

Cruz faces a minimum of life in prison and maximum of the death penalty.
 
According to CNN, after pleading guilty, he apologized to the victims in a short speech.
 
"I am very sorry for what I did, and I have to live with it every day. If I were to get a second chance, I would do everything in my power to try to help others," Cruz said. "I have to live with this every day, and it brings me nightmares and I can't live with myself sometimes, but I try to push through because I know that's what you guys would want me to do."
 
Because death penalty trials are split into two phases: the guilty phase and penalty phase, Cruz will now await the penalty phase.