Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newton, CT - Multiple Deaths

[crazybabyborg]

I don't know the exact policy schools should adopt, but I do think there should be a KNOWN presence of defensive weapon/weapons in the building. Personally, I don't think that one security armed guard is the best answer. I'm thinking of our high school which is sprawling and huge and the expense of adding a full time position to every school in the nation.  Lots of students could be shot while a security guard simply gets from one side of the building to the other, and even then, a shooter could easily position himself to pick one guard off. There's a narrow window of time that any defensive measure would be needed because the police would surely be on their way.... it's just those dire minutes before they arrive that's the issue. I am convinced that if the message that schools were efficiently staffed and equipped to defend the students in an emergency, then those precautions would almost never be needed. I don't think that placing a teacher in a position to hunt down a shooter is appropriate, but I have no problem with giving a teacher access to something other than her/his wits to stand between his students and someone armed to murder them. Shielding only against an intruder is not the whole answer. Columbine should teach us that.

No matter what the policy should be, it won't address Mall shootings, or movie theater shootings, but I do think that because students are required to attend school during designated hours, we should and can stop it there. I really believe that adopting specific policies, specific to school settings, can make a real difference. I don't see any way to accomplish that without the known presence of guns within the building and a widespread belief that they will be used to protect the students from the moment their lives are threatened. IMO, we owe our children that assurance.

[San]

I don't know the exact policy schools should adopt, but I do think there should be a KNOWN presence of defensive weapon/weapons in the building. Personally, I don't think that one security armed guard is the best answer. I'm thinking of our high school which is sprawling and huge and the expense of adding a full time position to every school in the nation.  Lots of students could be shot while a security guard simply gets from one side of the building to the other, and even then, a shooter could easily position himself to pick one guard off. There's a narrow window of time that any defensive measure would be needed because the police would surely be on their way.... it's just those dire minutes before they arrive that's the issue. I am convinced that if the message that schools were efficiently staffed and equipped to defend the students in an emergency, then those precautions would almost never be needed. I don't think that placing a teacher in a position to hunt down a shooter is appropriate, but I have no problem with giving a teacher access to something other than her/his wits to stand between his students and someone armed to murder them. Shielding only against an intruder is not the whole answer. Columbine should teach us that.

No matter what the policy should be, it won't address Mall shootings, or movie theater shootings, but I do think that because students are required to attend school during designated hours, we should and can stop it there. I really believe that adopting specific policies, specific to school settings, can make a real difference. I don't see any way to accomplish that without the known presence of guns within the building and a widespread belief that they will be used to protect the students from the moment their lives are threatened. IMO, we owe our children that assurance.

I agree CBB.

[San]

Ryan Lanza mourns Newtown shooter sibling and mom, claims he's a victim

By CANDICE M. GIOVE
Last Updated: 8:59 AM, December 23, 2012
Posted: 1:25 AM, December 23, 2012


Newtown killer Adam Lanza, who shot dead his mother, six other adults and 20 children, is badly missed by his brother.

“I am a victim,” Ryan Lanza, 24, told The Post yesterday in a Facebook chat. “I loss [sic] my mom and brother.”

In a Facebook photo tribute, Ryan Lanza shared a smiling image of his younger brother, Adam (top photo), lounging in a long-sleeved shirt and a pullover tee.

“R.I.P.,” he wrote.

“I will miss you bro. I will always love you as long as I live,” Lanza posted.

Lanza also posted a picture of his mother, Nancy, 52 (bottom photo). In it, she looks carefree as she sweeps blonde curls away from her eyes and laughs.

“I miss you mom. I love you so much. You will be always in my heart,” he wrote.

Adam Lanza sprayed bullets into his sleeping mother’s head before he massacred 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. He killed himself as cops moved in.

Ryan Lanza, who once attended Sandy Hook, grieved on Facebook for his brother’s youngest victims.

“You all will be truly be missed,” he wrote. “God Bless.”

Lanza has joined Facebook victim groups as well as groups that support him called “Support Ryan Lanza” and “Clear Ryan Lanza’s Name.”

[Tamikosmom]

The entire "opinion" article by Gayle Trotter is a good read ... common sense.  IMO

Janet

+++++

Mother of six says school kids deserve to be protected by armed, trained guards
By Gayle Trotter
Published December 22, 2012

<snipped>

Already, gun-rights opponents have begun scoffing at the notion of armed guards in our children’s schools. That doesn’t prevent the gun-rights opponent-in-chief from relying on a government-provided security detail to protect his own children.

On any given school day, no fewer than 6 marked Secret Service police cars surround the Sidwell Friends School, where the Obama girls attend. In these cars, good guys are ready to respond with deadly force to any threat of harm to the first daughters.

The Secret Service’s mere presence deters anyone who would attempt violence at the school founded by Quakers, who adhere to pacifism and nonviolent principles. In this haven of Northwest Washington, D.C., the pacifists depend on guns for protection.

<snipped>

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/12/22/mother-six-says-school-kids-deserve-to-be-protected-by-armed-trained-guards/

[Tamikosmom]

A Double Standard?

Politically potent Hollywood escapes heavy scrutiny in wake of shooting
Published December 23, 2012

In the wake of last week's Connecticut school shooting, many in the media and on Capitol Hill blamed one powerful lobby, the gun industry, and suggested banning assault weapons would lead to safer streets.

<snipped>

Yet, there's another powerful lobby in Washington that few scrutinize, let alone criticize: Hollywood, though many argue the movie and video game industry also bears responsibility for incidents of adolescent violence.

"Hollywood is very touchy about the idea of taking responsibility for the stuff it actually does," Parents Television Council's Dan Isett said. "What happened in Newtown is absolutely heartbreaking. It shouldn't take an instance like that to have 20 dead children that just went to school that morning, to have a real discussion about why this happened.  To have a real discussion about what media does to our kids."

Not unlike the NRA, lawmakers fear the Motion Picture Association of America and their political allies. Consider the clout and fundraising acumen of producer Harvey Weinstein, a major heavyweight in Democratic politics, along with actors George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio, all of whom have acted in or produced violent films.

<snipped>

Read More:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/23/violent-movies-avoid-scrutiny-following-mass-shootings/

[Blonde]

After hearing many debates and discussions over the last week, one that I've been thinking about a lot and think could be helpful is to possibly have some (Admin) that have a concealed weapon on each campus.  I know some districts in Texas allow teachers to carry concealed weapons, but I'm not sure that's a good idea in all classrooms.  Resource officers could be a deterrent as well, but if that's one officer for all campuses like we've had here in the past; that's just not enough imo.   

I'm all for having someone carry a concealed weapon in schools.  That person should be trained in carrying and using the weapon.  I'm not sure it should be the principal.  With all the schools in the United States not all principals will be willing to carry a weapon.  Not all principals will be qualified to carry the weapon.  I think it should be someone with a law enforcement/military background.  I also believe there should be security cameras installed in every school.  Maybe this person could monitor the school by monitoring the camera and also by walking around the outside of the school.  I'm also wondering if every teacher should be carrying some type of walkie talkie to communicate with each other and report any suspicious activity.

I'm for this also one of my best friends just became a principal here in CT she would do what ever she had to do to protect her kids in school..

[Blonde]

Do you know their are kids in my grandson class  that are afraid to go back to school .
He said three kids are so scared they stayed home last week.

We here in CT are going through a lot every other day now, their is a lock down in one of our schools.
 I thought we were safe here in the woods people are robing banks with people inside right down the street . I will not go into a bank anymore.. debit car only and  direct deposit

[MonkeyFlower]

Been researching - ( I work in mental health so I am trying to figure out what is going on)

Mom definitely had her own stuff going on (and in support I want to say it was probably very difficult to live and deal with him and think about him having to leave and go to some type of institution or group home). Still, the guns......And now I hear he was on meds that say they are for schzophrenia - Uncle says he was on Fanapt, drug for schizophrenia, but newer (see drugs. com) - did he drink alcohol with his Mom (contraindicated for this med), did he not take it while she was away or did he have a reaction to it? Did he not have enough medication?
http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2012/12/predictions-confirmed-shooter-adam-lanza-was-on-violence-linked-anti-psychotic-fanapt-2517754.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9750422/Connecticut-school-shooting-Adam-Lanza-was-assigned-psychologist.html

Psychologist says AL fit the pattern on other school shooters:  http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/keeping-kids-safe/201212/adam-lanza-psychotic-shooter
I personally know a professional  who knew the Kinkles socially  (educators who were killed by their son - he shot people in his h.s. cafeteria,killed two and injured more)  and urged one of them  to get him help, it may be hard to overcome the denial as parents still remember the sweet kid

FBI profiler of Unabomber  says same thing  - (AL fit the pattern of school shooter) -hopefully this knowledge will help someone out to see this pattern as a social problem as well as an individual one, and to take action quickly enough
http://www.countytimes.com/articles/2012/12/20/news/doc50d3d6531769d550249727.txt

[grace-land]

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/12/us/sandy-hook-timeline/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

Sandy Hook shooting: What happened?
December, 2012


A graphic depicting the site of the shooting. (CNN)

[grace-land]

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Adam-Lanza-s-online-gaming-history-probed-4141582.php

Adam Lanza's online gaming history probed
Updated 9:16 am, Sunday, December 23, 2012

Newtown, Conn. --
Video games played, screen names used and credit cards billed to buy online gaming time are areas of interest to investigators trying to unravel the reasons behind Adam Lanza's rampage inside Sandy Hook Elementary School.
 
Electronic and forensics experts say information could be pulled from computers seized from Lanza's Newtown home, even if they were struck with a hammer, as some reports say.
 
"If he drilled holes into it, that would be a different story," said Mark Morton, a laboratory supervisor in the University of New Haven's electrical engineering department. "It depends on how much the federal government wants to spend. I believe if the federal government wants to recover data, it will get the data."
 
Morton said techniques to recover data from severely damaged computers include dismantling and reassembling hard-drive pieces or using software owned by the Department of Defense.
 
Sources have said the State Police are heading the shooting investigation.
Read more...

[San]

This was a comment someone made under an article I read.  It's so true.

She is the example of a hero, parents should refrain from glorifying athletes, singers and movie "stars" and tell their children the story of Victoria Soto.....

[grace-land]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/newtown-shooters-pause-may-have-saved-lives-say-investigators/story-fnd134gw-1226542647644

Newtown shooter's pause may have saved lives, say investigators
December 23, 2012  5:27PM

 ::snipping2::
The arriving officers encountered a shocking scene in Soto's classroom. Lanza had shot her, as well as special education teacher Anne Marie Murphy and six of Soto's 6- and 7-year old students. Seven of Soto's students were found huddled and unharmed in a classroom closet, apparently hidden by Soto when she heard shooting. The other students fled the classroom.

Based on initial statements from surviving children and the fact that Based on initial statements from surviving children and the fact that unfired bullets from Lanza's rifle were found on the ground, detectives suspect that some students were able to run to safety when Lanza stopped firing, probably for a short period of time, the officials said.

It is possible that Lanza, who reloaded the rifle frequently, mishandled or dropped a magazine and unfired bullets fell to the floor, they said.

But it also is possible, they said, that the mechanism that fed bullets into the rifle jammed, causing Lanza to remove the magazine and clear the weapon. Unfired bullets could have fallen to the classroom floor during that process as well, law enforcement officials said.

The six children who escaped Lanza's rampage ran to a home a short distance from the school. Upon reaching the home, one of the boys told the owner that "we obeyed the rules, we stayed on the sidewalk," one of the officials said.
 ::snipping2::

[MuffyBee]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/12/21/when-your-child-kills-the-parents-of-criminals.html
When Your Child Kills: the Parents of Criminals
December 21, 2012

In the aftermath of the Newtown school shooting parents are asking what drives kids to murder. In an excerpt from Far From the Tree, author Andrew Solomon explores how parents deal with criminal children—and speaks to Dylan Klebold’s parents about the aftermath of their son’s attack at Columbine.

More...
Video at Link

[grace-land]

This was a comment someone made under an article I read.  It's so true.

She is the example of a hero, parents should refrain from glorifying athletes, singers and movie "stars" and tell their children the story of Victoria Soto.....

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/heartbreaking_smiles_ms_soto_class_mIAtV7NpFzD81i36jbTcvK

Newtown massacre victims (and survivors) pictured in Victoria Soto’s class photo
Last Updated: 9:18 AM, December 23, 2012
Posted: 1:25 AM, December 23, 2012


BEFORE THE NIGHTMARE:Victoria Soto and co-teacher Anne Marie Murphy join their first-grade students in an official class photo taken last fall. Those labeled were gunned down in the Dec. 14 massacre, while the others survived thanks to Soto’s heroism.

 ::snipping2::
“This is Victoria Soto’s class,” said Shannon Engel, the mother of slain 6-year-old Olivia Engel, holding back tears as she looked at the image.

Olivia and her classmates are pictured smiling with their teacher and protector, Soto, 27, who was killed trying to protect the students from Adam Lanza.

Fellow teacher Anne Marie Murphy, 52, also pictured, was slain as well. She was said to have been found with her arms around one of the slain children.
 
With Lanza cutting his murderous path through Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Soto hid her students in a classroom closet and cabinets — and put herself between them and the killer.

When Lanza entered the room, after killing 14 children in the classroom next door, she tried to steer him away by saying her students were in the auditorium.

But a handful of students, including Olivia, tried to flee. Lanza shot them.

In the photo are Soto’s other fallen students — Dylan Hockley, Allison Wyatt, Jesse Lewis, Avielle Richman, all 6 years old.

But because of Soto’s heroic actions, most of her little students survived the horror.

[San]

Thanks grace-land.  I knew where the link was but I didn't want to post it because it was so sad to see the picture.

[grace-land]

Thanks grace-land.  I knew where the link was but I didn't want to post it because it was so sad to see the picture.

You're welcome, San.  I didn't know that this was the article that you were referring to.  I believe that they were all angels and heroes that day.  God bless them all. 
 

[San]

Alone together: Grieving dad at Jesse’s grave

By REUVEN FENTON and BETH DEFALCO
Last Updated: 6:07 AM, December 25, 2012
Posted: 12:40 AM, December 25, 2012



No father should have to spend Christmas Eve in a cemetery.

But it was the only place Neil Heslin could be with his 6-year-old son, who was among the 20 youngsters slain in the Newtown, Conn., massacre.

Heslin last saw his adored son, Jesse Lewis, Dec. 13, when the two went Christmas shopping.

“He was rambling on about how this was going to be the best Christmas ever. We got into the whole meaning of Christmas, about giving and not receiving,” Heslin recalled.

“I told him, ‘What makes it happy for me is giving to you and seeing you happy.’

“And the next day — that happened.”

Jesse died a hero. Witnesses said he’d been leading other children to safety when he was gunned down by Adam Lanza.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/alone_together_grieving_dad_at_jesse_0LVqEcH51jNMcF4YB0Ls2K

[kcrn]

Alone together: Grieving dad at Jesse’s grave

By REUVEN FENTON and BETH DEFALCO
Last Updated: 6:07 AM, December 25, 2012
Posted: 12:40 AM, December 25, 2012



No father should have to spend Christmas Eve in a cemetery.

But it was the only place Neil Heslin could be with his 6-year-old son, who was among the 20 youngsters slain in the Newtown, Conn., massacre.

Heslin last saw his adored son, Jesse Lewis, Dec. 13, when the two went Christmas shopping.

“He was rambling on about how this was going to be the best Christmas ever. We got into the whole meaning of Christmas, about giving and not receiving,” Heslin recalled.

“I told him, ‘What makes it happy for me is giving to you and seeing you happy.’

“And the next day — that happened.”

Jesse died a hero. Witnesses said he’d been leading other children to safety when he was gunned down by Adam Lanza.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/alone_together_grieving_dad_at_jesse_0LVqEcH51jNMcF4YB0Ls2K

That is heartbreaking! I saw the interview with his dad after it happened & he had me bawling. Seems like thats all he had was that little angel. I hope he takes care of his daddy from heaven.

[San]

Yes it is heartbreaking kcrn.  I've seen another interview with him also.  I hope he does take care of himself.  In that interview he said his little boy had no fear and that's why he thinks he made a run for it.  Very sad.

[hellokitty]

Earlier there was a reference to Israel and their gun laws.  Here is what the Israelis responded

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Israel-Gun-Control/2012/12/25/id/468967

Also, references to taking God out of schools.

How does one explain all of the pedophile priests, ministers, and pastors?