A Tragic Day in Connecticut

Newtown, Connecticut

It was a day of murder in the normally quiet town of Newtown, Connecticut. Nancy Lanza was killed at her home on Yogananda Street. Sadly, the murderer was her 20-year-old son.

Next, Adam Lanza drove his mother’s car to Sandy Hook Elementary school and somehow, he got past a security door to a place where children should have been safe from harm.

A positive day, following a school concert was interrupted by gunfire. Police were alerted around 9:36 a.m.

"The shooting appears to have stopped," the dispatcher radioed at 9:38 a.m. "There is silence at this time. The school is in lockdown."

And at 9:46 a.m., an anguished voice from the school: "I've got bodies here. Need ambulances."

Carefully, police searched room to room, removing children and staff from harm's way. They found Adam Lanza, dead by his own hand after shooting up two classrooms.

By the time police arrived, 27 people were dead. 20 of those were children. Lt. Paul Vance said 18 children died in the school and two more died later in a hospital. Six adults were also slain, bringing the total to 26. The shooter, Adam Lanza’s mother, was the first victim, raising the total to 27.

Shooter Adam Lanza

According to investigators, Lanza shot his mother in the face, then left his house armed with at least two semi-automatic handguns, a Glock and a Sig Sauer, and a semi-automatic rifle. He was also wearing a bullet proof vest.

Lanza drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School and continued his rampage, killing 26 people, authorities said. He was found dead at the school. It appears that he died from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The rifle was found in his car.

In a news conference later, Gov. Dan Malloy said, "Evil visited this community today."

President Obama has weighed-in as well.

“There’s not a parent in America who doesn't feel the overwhelming grief that I do."

 The president had to pause to compose himself after saying these were "beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10." As he continued with his statement, Obama wiped away tears from each eye.

He has ordered flags flown at half-staff.

 It is the second worst mass shooting in U.S. history, exceeded only by the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 when 32 were killed before the shooter turned the gun on himself. Today's carnage exceeds the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in which 13 died and 24 were injured.