Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (December 2012) |
| Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Newtown, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 41°25′12″N 73°16′43″W / 41.42000°N 73.27861°W |
| Date | December 14, 2012 9:41 a.m. (EST) |
| Target | Children and school personnel |
Attack type | Mass murder, school shooting, murder-suicide |
| Weapons | Multiple 9-mm handguns and a .223-caliber rifle[1] |
| Deaths | 28[2] (including gunman) |
| Perpetrator | Adam Lanza |
On December 14, 2012, 28 people, including 20 children, were killed in a mass shooting in the Sandy Hook village of Newtown, Connecticut. Eighteen children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, before the gunman shot himself. Three other children were transported to hospitals in critical condition, where two died of their injuries. The shooter's father was found dead in the shooter's home shortly afterwards.[2] This was the second-deadliest United States civilian shooting, after the Virginia Tech Massacre in 2007, which had a death toll of 32.[3] It is the third deadliest school massacre, being exceeded only by the Bath School bombings in 1927, which had a death toll of 45, and the Virginia Tech massacre.
Shooting
The suspected gunman, Adam Lanza,[4] wore black combat garb and a military vest. Gunshots and screams had been heard over the school public address system. Authorities recovered a .223 Bushmaster, Glock and SIG Sauer 9 mm handgun,[5][6] with sources reporting suicide.[7]
The classroom where the shooter's mother worked as a kindergarten teacher was the scene of the majority of the casualties.[8] The mother was among those confirmed dead.[9]
The principal and school psychologist are reported to be among the dead.[10]
Suspect
Adam Lanza, age 20,[4] was confirmed dead by police.[11] There was initially confusion over the perpetrator's identity, with sources initially reporting his brother Ryan Lanza, age 24, as the shooter.[12] Ryan Lanza was taken into custody by police for questioning.[9]
Reactions
According to the White House spokesman Jay Carney, President Obama expressed "enormous sympathy for families that are affected".[3] President Obama gave a televised address at approximately 3:17 p.m. ET the same day. He ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the White House in respect for the victims.[13] He said "We are going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this regardless of the politics."[14]
Democratic Congressman Jerrold Nadler of New York used the incident as an opportunity to call for more talk about stricter gun laws, saying "If now is not the time to have a serious discussion about gun control and the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our society, I don't know when is." Nadler also stated: "I am challenging President Obama, the Congress and the American public to act on our outrage and, finally, do something about this."[15]
See also
References
- ^ "27 Killed in Connecticut Shooting, Including 20 Children". The New York Times. December 14, 2012 in USA. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "20 children among dead at school shooting in Connecticut". CBC News. December 14, 2012.
- ^ a b "Official with knowledge of Conn. school shooting: 27 dead, including 18 children". Washington Post. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ a b "AP Source: Suspect Drove To Mother's School". Associated Press. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ Rachel Quigley (December 14, 2012). "Children and adults gunned down in Connecticut school . Cops quizzing kid brother". Daily Mail UK. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ Pete Williams (December 14, 2012). "Elementary school massacre: 27 dead, including 20 kids, in Connecticut". NBC News. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "27 Killed in Connecticut Shooting, Including 18 Children". New York Times. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ "Elementary School Massacre". USNews on MSNBC news. December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ a b Yost, Pete. "Conn. school shooting: Adam Lanza ID's as shooter". ksdk.com. Multimedia KSDK, Inc. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ "AP Source: Conn. shooter is Ryan Lanza's younger brother Adam Lanza". phillyBurbs.com. WASHINGTON.
- ^ Pete Williams; Miguel Llanos; Tracy Connor (December 14, 2012). "Elementary school massacre: 26 dead, including 18 kids, in Connecticut". NBC. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ Spencer Ackerman (December 14, 2012). "Internet Identifies, Threatens Wrong Man as Newtown Shooter". Wired Magazine.
- ^ "Presidential Proclamation -- Honoring the Victims of the Shooting in Newtown, Connecticut". White House Press Office. December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
- ^ "Tearful Obama mourns 'beautiful kids'". The Age. December 15, 2012.
- ^ Susan Davis (December 14, 2012). "Congress reacts to Connecticut school shooting". USA Today. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
