Connecticut school district on lockdown after shooting report at a Newtown elemen-#4

[cluciano63]

I think it is obvious that AL was mentally ill, to what degree and by what name, we may never know. Maybe he heard voices. Whatever was going on in his mind, I do not feel comfortable calling him a "monster" even though what he did was monstrous. I believe he was severely incapacitated mentally and his brain did not function like other brains. Sometimes a tragedy is just a tragedy, no matter how horrific the outcome. I do wish that guns had not been in the mix, but we can't go back.

 

[Sleuthster]

Actually, yes I do. He has lost his family. Do I think he cares, no. Do I think that is part of the problem, Yes I do. JMO

What did you want him to say? Something like "I'm sorry you lost your children but I lost my son too"? His son is the reason all these people lost their children. If I where him I would not want to mention him either. To do so takes away from the true victims.

It's not about if he was a good dad and if he was possibly an absentee father. To tell you the truth I have a step son just like this guy and I can personally understand why there hasn't been much contact in 2 years. The mother IMO was trying to help her son, or so she thought. I'm sure she was in over her head and probably realized so but I think he should have been in a facility where he could get treatment. In the end it was a very bad mistake. He was a danger to himselves and others and should not have been out on the street.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

A semi automatic rifle which I think is what he used will fire every time the trigger is pulled. You can "spray" I suppose, but the trigger has to pulled each time you take a shot. A normal rifle you have to *advertiser censored* after each shot and that puts another bullet into the chamber. Semi automatics automatically put another bullet into the chamber so that step is skipped making you able to fire more shots in less time, but the trigger still has to be pulled. I guess I just want to make sure it is understood this kid had to pull the trigger every time he shot. He did not have an automatic weapon that fired many bullets with one shot. He still had to go through the process of pulling the trigger every time.

We can't assume that his weapons were still semi-automatic because it is well known that if you simply file the little pin inside the barrell, it is now an automatic weapon. Criminals do this all the time and it is all over the internet. Sad but true.

 

[FootballMom]

Huh ???? I've read reports that claim his close relatives, brother, aunt, father, school teachers, school mates clearly stating there was mental illness.

Please forgive me if I missed some of the thousands of articles circulating.

I haven't seen any quotes by his father except the PR from today expressing condolences.

I haven't seen any direct quotes made by his brother - only MSM "claiming" his brother uttered the words "mental illness".

I am reluctant to take the word of aunts, teachers, school mates who "state" the phrases; "weird", "he had issues", etc...

AFAWK and it seems highly likely they are not medical professionals who treated him, in fact most state they had very little contact with him.

It appears to me that the media who have done a stellar job of reporting wrong information as well as sensationalizing & twisting every word uttered by anyone who ever came into contact with AL for 5 minutes even 15 years ago can now add Ph.D and M.D. behind each of their unnamed sources.

 

[SmoothOperator]

I can guarantee you that there could be 10 mental health professionals in one room with 10 differing diagnosis of this shooter.

I think we will all agree that he had some mental illness and in my unprofessional opinion, schizophrenia/paranoia is the one that makes most sense.

The little children were no threat to him physically but in his mental state of delusion, they were his biggest threat enough so to kill 20.

while I believe this is possibly what was in this persons head at the time he was quite obviously out of his mind when choosing these most innocent children as his intended victims..as mentioned above that he was perceiving them as a threat..but I also believe its possible(especially even more so now knowing that his mom had no ties to this school, and therefor certainly no ties to these children).. IMO I also see him as a weak coward who even when shielded in armor as if going to war against a massive army of adult, men enemies, and literally OVERKILL LOADED TO THE HILT with weapons you'd see grown men on the front lines of battle equipped with.. yet IMO this weak, spineless coward could only muster up enough chutzpah to literally annihilate in every sense of the word, these tiny, completely and utterly defenseless children and the women who willingly gave their lives dying trying to save and protect those helpless babies...

IMO I can see it either way, but something inside me tells me that even in the most elite of positions that this individual could put himself in, complete with the battle armor and literally weapons used to eviscerate grown men enemies in war..yet all he could manage to take out were the most helpless, defenseless, and innocent of all God's creatures on this earth..

its just one more on the list of many that tells me that when it comes down to them at the end, that these evil, useless b@St@rds ARE 100+% COWARDS THROUGH AND THROUGH!

ALL JMO.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Actually, yes I do. He has lost his family. Do I think he cares, no. Do I think that is part of the problem, Yes I do. JMO

BBM. Seriously? You don't think he cares that he lost his family? What are you basing that on?

 

[Isabelle]

It seems to me the mother was just kind of deserted as far as taking care of the younger brother. Seems they all just went away and said okay mom you deal with it. I don't know that for sure just an observation. jmo

Could be there was an element of denial on the mother's part, in believing that he was going to be ok? Or, did she have a fear of allowing others to care for him in an institutional type setting?

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

About INSTITUTIONS: In the 1980's, Reagan signed a bill closing down the large institutions that were publicly funded. I watched with horror as they let these poor souls out, wandering & wondering where their next meal and medication was going to come from. Was it overly optimistic for our government to assume the local community and family's would pick up the gap?

Yes. Many of the previously institutionalized wound up in jail and/or homeless. Very sad.

The mentally ill are stigmatized in our society. No neighborhood's want the group homes for them in their "backyards".

If the family tries to cope, it is often beyond their scope and fractures the family often.

 

[flipflop]

What did you want him to say? Something like "I'm sorry you lost your children but I lost my son too"? His son is the reason all these people lost their children. If I where him I would not want to mention him either. To do so takes away from the true victims.

It's not about if he was a good dad and if he was possibly an absentee father. To tell you the truth I have a step son just like this guy and I can personally understand why there hasn't been much contact in 2 years. The mother IMO was trying to help her son, or so she thought. I'm sure she was in over her head and probably realized so but I think he should have been in a facility where he could get treatment. In the end it was a very bad mistake. He was a danger to himselves and others and should not have been out on the street.

Once a child is no longer a child covered in the school system, facilities and "that help you need" is hard to come by for adults, many have long waiting lists. Perhaps he was on a waiting list....we may never know.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

Please forgive me if I missed some of the thousands of articles circulating.

I haven't seen any quotes by his father except the PR from today expressing condolences.

I haven't seen any direct quotes made by his brother - only MSM "claiming" his brother uttered the words "mental illness".

I am reluctant to take the word of aunts, teachers, school mates who "state" the phrases; "weird", "he had issues", etc...

AFAWK and it seems highly likely they are not medical professionals who treated him, in fact most state they had very little contact with him.

It appears to me that the media who have done a stellar job of reporting wrong information as well as sensationalizing & twisting every word uttered by anyone who ever came into contact with AL for 5 minutes even 15 years ago can now add Ph.D and M.D. behind each of their unnamed sources.

Uh, so you think AL was sane and had good reason to do what he did? What are you saying?

 

[IzzyBlanche]

A semi automatic rifle which I think is what he used will fire every time the trigger is pulled. You can "spray" I suppose, but the trigger has to pulled each time you take a shot. A normal rifle you have to *advertiser censored* after each shot and that puts another bullet into the chamber. Semi automatics automatically put another bullet into the chamber so that step is skipped making you able to fire more shots in less time, but the trigger still has to be pulled. I guess I just want to make sure it is understood this kid had to pull the trigger every time he shot. He did not have an automatic weapon that fired many bullets with one shot. He still had to go through the process of pulling the trigger every time.

Thank you for clarifying, as I said I know zip about guns.

 

[Sleuthster]

Once a child is no longer a child covered in the school system, facilities and "that help you need" is hard to come by for adults, many have long waiting lists. Perhaps he was on a waiting list....we may never know.

Sad and true. Used to be alot more help a decade ago. More hospitals, treatment facilities, halfway houses for the mentally ill. Many are gone. I would think that the family had funds to maybe find a private facility. It's hard to tell. My point was that people can't blame the dad for his distance and his lack of compassion in the end. I'm sure he loved his son but may have feared him his self and thus the estrangement.

 

[LolaMoon08]

Uh, so you think AL was sane and had good reason to do what he did? What are you saying?

I don't think that is what she meant. I took it as asking why we are even listening to someone who rode on a school bus with AL 15 years ago or someone who sat next to him in class 13 years ago. The media is so desparate to get any and all information that they are reaching this far back and now we have all these reports of someone who is "weird" and "has issues" when they spoke to him for maybe 15 seconds in their entire life if even at all.

ETA: I think it is clear that he has issues. Anyone who could walk into a school and do what he did, has to have issues.

 

[FootballMom]

Most personality disorders are comorbid. Actually, it would be the rarity if one suffered from a single personality disorder. That is not the case for mood disorders though.
Also, it is well established that the onset of schizotypal diseases (schizophrenia, schizophreniform) in males is around the age of young adulthood (unlike for women, which is much later). Dyodd.

Thank you, yes I am very aware that personality disorders are often comorbid.

My post was in response to the original posters statement that Aspergers/Autism (as you know are not a personality disorder) are at greater risk of developing Schizophrenia. That was new to me as it was my understanding that they are generally not comorbid and one diagnosis may be a misdiagnosis of the other.

Did that make sense? It is getting late and my ADHD meds have long worn off.

 

[Dr.Fessel]

About INSTITUTIONS: In the 1980's, Reagan signed a bill closing down the large institutions that were publicly funded. I watched with horror as they let these poor souls out, wandering & wondering where their next meal and medication was going to come from. Was it overly optimistic for our government to assume the local community and family's would pick up the gap?

Yes. Many of the previously institutionalized wound up in jail and/or homeless. Very sad.

The mentally ill are stigmatized in our society. No neighborhood's want the group homes for them in their "backyards".

If the family tries to cope, it is often beyond their scope and fractures the family often.

Geraldo Rivera was behind a lot of that decision.

 

[rolltidemom]

I thought I would share this with everyone to give us all a little inspitation. Two weeks ago tonight, 2 of my son's classmates were killed in a car accident. It was all over the news,even national and very tragic for our community. The mother of one of the boys is blogging to help her through. Todays blog she shares some personal things, you can skip through if you want,but she describes a vision she had in relation to the poor children of Sandy Hook. I don't know this woman personally,but I know from other people she is a great woman of faith,and I pray her vision and the message she was given is real and can provide comfort to us all.

http://chrisstewart69.blogspot.com/

Thank you for sharing this!

 

[mysterygirl]

Please forgive me if I missed some of the thousands of articles circulating.

I haven't seen any quotes by his father except the PR from today expressing condolences.

I haven't seen any direct quotes made by his brother - only MSM "claiming" his brother uttered the words "mental illness".

I am reluctant to take the word of aunts, teachers, school mates who "state" the phrases; "weird", "he had issues", etc...

AFAWK and it seems highly likely they are not medical professionals who treated him, in fact most state they had very little contact with him.

It appears to me that the media who have done a stellar job of reporting wrong information as well as sensationalizing & twisting every word uttered by anyone who ever came into contact with AL for 5 minutes even 15 years ago can now add Ph.D and M.D. behind each of their unnamed sources.

Um, he intentionally sought out babies to gun down.

He's mentally ill ..............bad reporting or not. Common sense.

 

[mrsu]

Reading all the articles and hearing about the teachers ushering the students into the classroom bathrooms or closets and realizing our elementary school has NOTHING like that in the rooms. The 5 kindergarten rooms DO have a unisex bathroom, but all the other classrooms have NO BATHROOM and NO CLOSET. NOWHERE SAFE for students in the classroom to go. On one wall there is upper and lower cabinets with a counter top for classroom storage, but absolutely NOWHERE that kids could hide. In addition, the students sit at tables which would be useless to hide under. Along with that, on either side of the classroom doors are long glass windows that could be shot out and used for entry to the room even if the door was locked.

Our school is only TWO YEARS old. I am feeling very uneasy about all this.

 

[flipflop]

Reading all the articles and hearing about the teachers ushering the students into the classroom bathrooms or closets and realizing our elementary school has NOTHING like that in the rooms. The 5 kindergarten rooms DO have a unisex bathroom, but all the other classrooms have NO BATHROOM and NO CLOSET. NOWHERE SAFE for students in the classroom to go. On one wall there is upper and lower cabinets with a counter top, but absolutely nowhere that kids could hide. In addition the students sit at tables which would be useless to hide under. Along with that, on either side of the classroom doors are long glass windows that could be shot out and used for entry even if the door was locked.

Our school is only TWO YEARS old. I am feeling very uneasy about all this.

In my school during lockdowns, if the class you are in does not have a closet, bathroom etc. we are instructed to tip tables over and have children huddle behind them to shield them from the door direction. We have to cover the window in the door, turn out lights, lock the door and slide our bulletin boards to cover the windows....all while encouraging the children that they are safe.

talk to your school, ask what their plan is. It is the law that every school has lock down procedures.

 

[FootballMom]

I hope parents of autistic children will answer this question. I'm not an education expert, but as a parent with 3 young adult males and one teen daughter, I, like most everyone else on this crime forum, realize that letting one's mentally healthy or mentally unhealthy child play violent games for hours each day is a bad idea.

Many of the graphic killer video games require an 18 year old to buy them, so manipulated parents are buying these for their young kids. Parents need to be reassured that it is okay to act like a parent. JUST SAY NO to bad ideas that come from your kids.

My perfectly healthy 15 year old boy and his perfectly healthy friends have played "violent" video games for years. To this day they are all still perfectly healthy both mentally & physically, gifted honor students with high GPA's, winning national championships in their respective sports and competitions, and even attending youth groups & volunteering in our community. (gasp...)

I'm not taking away his video games. He is a boy. He enjoys them. I would NEVER EVER blame a video game or that "rock and roll or rap rubbish" for influencing his mind as to what is acceptable behaviour in this world. It is my job and his job to know the difference between right & wrong, good & evil and fiction & reality.

If a child cannot determine the difference between those things then there is a much larger issue at hand than playing a video game.

JMO