Florida school shooting: Judge enters not-guilty plea for suspect Nikolas Cruz

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Florida judge on Wednesday entered a not-guilty plea for Nikolas Cruz, who is charged with shooting to death 17 students and staff last month in a massacre at a high school in Parkland, Florida.

READ MORE: Prosecutors to seek death penalty for suspect Nikolas Cruz

Cruz, 19, chose to remain mute during the arraignment hearing in Broward County circuit court. Judge Elizabeth Scherer then entered the not-guilty plea on his behalf for 17 counts of first-degree murder and 17 counts of attempted murder. Scherer set April 27 for a hearing for attorneys to agree to a trial date.

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Cruz, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and shackled at wrists and ankles, sat alone and head bowed in what is normally the jury box, guarded by a dozen deputies.

WATCH: ‘I know he’s going to explode’ — Woman’s chilling warning to FBI about Nikolas Cruz

3:03 ‘I know he’s going to explode’: Woman’s chilling warning to FBI about Nikolas Cruz

State prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty in the case. Cruz’s attorneys had said the teenager would plead guilty if prosecutors took away the death penalty option.

Cruz’s arraignment came several hours after students at the Parkland high school joined thousands of other high school students from around the United States in a walkout backing gun control legislation.