The gunman, believed to be 20, walked into a classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where his mother was a teacher. He shot and killed her and then fatally shot 20 students, most in the same classroom. He also fatally shot five other adults, then killed himself inside the school. One other person was injured in the shooting.
Another body related to the case was at different scene in Connecticut, the authorities said, declining to elaborate.
A law enforcement official identified the assailant as Adam Lanza and said that a brother, Ryan Lanza, had been questioned. Adam Lanza was wearing combat gear when he entered the school, the official said.
The school shooting is the second deadliest in American history, after the 2007 massacre at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, which claimed 32 lives.
President Obama, speaking on national television Friday afternoon, appeared to break down several times as he spoke of the crime. “The majority of those who died today were children, beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old,” he said. .
After pausing to compose himself for 12 long seconds, Mr. Obama went on, “They had their entire lives ahead of them: birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own.”
Then the president wiped the corner of his eye.
Witnesses described a harrowing scene at the school, located at the end of a long drive and surrounded by woods about 12 miles east of Danbury, Conn. Sounds of gunfire were followed by screams as terrified students and staff members hid in classrooms, closets and wherever else they could take shelter.
“We were in the gym, and I heard really loud bangs,” said a 9-year-old boy as he stood shivering and weeping outside the school with his father’s arms draped around him. “We thought that someone was knocking something over. And we heard yelling, and we heard gunshots. We heard lots of gunshots. We heard someone say, ‘Put your hands up.’ I heard, ‘Don’t shoot.’
“We had to go into the closet in the gym. Then someone came and told us to run down the hallway. There were police at every door. There were lots of people crying and screaming.”
Yvonne Cech, a school librarian, said that she, three other library workers and 18 fourth graders had spent 45 minutes locked in a closet during the shootings. “The SWAT team escorted us out” she said.
The Newtown police summoned the State Police to the school shortly after 9:30 a.m., said Lt. J. Paul Vance of the State Police. “Immediately upon arrival,” he said, officers “entered the school and began an active shooter search.”
Most, or all, of the violence occurred in two classrooms that are next to each other, a law enforcement official said. “He visited two classrooms,” the official said.
Eighteen students were pronounced dead at the school, and two others were taken to a hospital where they were declared dead. All the adults who were fatally shot at the school were pronounced dead at the scene.
Law enforcement officials said the weapons used by the gunman were a Sig Sauer and a Glock, both handguns. The police also found a Bushmaster .223 M4 carbine, a rifle, at the scene that they believe belonged to him.
Few details emerged about Adam Lanza, the man who the authorities said was responsible for the rampage. He attended Newtown High School, and former high school classmates recalled him as smart, introverted and nervous. They said he went out of his way to not attract attention.
Meredith Artley, the managing editor of CNN.com, said someone who works at the school told her that after the shooting began, “three people went out into the hall and only one person came back — the vice principal, she said, who was shot in the leg or the foot, who came crawling back.” The vice principal, the school worker told Ms. Artley, “cowered under the table and called 911. There must have been a hundred rounds.”
This afternoon, I spoke with Governor Malloy and FBI
Director Mueller. I offered Governor Malloy my condolences on behalf of the
nation, and made it clear he will have every single resource that he needs to
investigate this heinous crime, care for the victims, counsel their families.
We've endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years. And each time
I learn the news I react not as a President, but as anybody else would -- as a
parent. And that was especially true today. I know there's not a parent in America who
doesn't feel the same overwhelming grief that I do.
The majority of those who died today were children -- beautiful little kids
between the ages of 5 and 10 years old. They had their entire lives ahead of
them -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own. Among the fallen
were also teachers -- men and women who devoted their lives to helping our
children fulfill their dreams.
So our hearts are broken today -- for the parents and grandparents, sisters and
brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were
lost. Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as
blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their
children's innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no
words that will ease their pain.
As a country, we have been through this too many times. Whether it's an
elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall
in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin,
or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner
in Chicago --
these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children.
And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent
more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.
This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will
do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we'll tell them that we love
them, and we'll remind each other how deeply we love one another. But there are
families in Connecticut
who cannot do that tonight. And they need all of us right now. In the hard days
to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans. And I will do
everything in my power as President to help.
Because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of
us can extend a hand to those in need -- to remind them that we are there for
them, that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost
endures not just in their memories but also in ours.
May God bless the memory of the victims and, in the words of Scripture, heal
the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.
The President also issued a proclamation honoring the victims of the
tragedy, ordering U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff until sunset on December
18.