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

[Isabelle]

I have to wonder if Adam Lanza had any violent tendencies prior to the massacre, let alone before it happened.

Considering earlier reports that the mother told his brother and/or a friend who watched Adam not to leave him alone in any room even if just to go to the bathroom, I would think there was something very volatile about him. Eventually, maybe his father or brother will tell us the story.

 

[Lois Lane]

I rely on my fellow WSers here to help me out here as I know next to nothing about guns.

My assumption was that the semi-automatic weapon confirmed today that he used has the ability to "spray" the targets. So he didn't necessarily shoot each individual one at a time, one shot at a time. He just sprayed the room with gunfire the way people hose down their outdoor plants.

I repeat, I know next to nothing about guns so this could be a totally erroneous assumption of mine.

That is my understanding of semi-automatic weapons and limited experience (M-16 training in the military) with them.

Much less "spray" than a fully automatic, but shots in very quick succession.

This guy was able to shoot a considerable number of rounds in a short amount of time.

From the Hartford Courant article cited just above by Grasshopper:

The intense violence lasted about 10 minutes. Lanza fired at least three, 30-round cartridges with deadly accuracy. Two of the people he shot survived. All of the victims were shot multiple times.

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-timeline-newtown-shooting-1216-20121215,0,1878564.story

IMO, this wasn't his first rodeo handling a semi-automatic weapon.

 

[Pensfan]

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

This happens to MANY caretakers of chronically ill people.

 

[manzana]

Which is also what LE said today in the presser. To wit: All of the injuries were inflicted with the long gun. Despite earlier media reports to the contrary.

I also read that NL was shot in her bed with the rifle, is that true?

 

[Grasshopper]

After what the media did to RL, I really don't blame him for not saying anything. I'd be livid. It's bad enough that he lost his mother and brother, a slip-up in reporting destroyed his life. Good grief. Everything about this story is horrific.

 

[flipflop]

BBM This hurts because it is so true and I am guilty of this. I can not name one victim of the Columbine shooting. The names of the murderers (won't say their names) have been ingrained into my brain. I would recognize them right away.

I also agree with this whole post and I personally am going to work harder to remember the victims of these crimes and not give the killers the attention they so crave.

I agree, we all need to. If you go to FB and type in AL's name, there are hundreds of pages created in his honor.....WHY?????? We do NOT want to remember him or his crime. We need to honor his victims and remember and pray for each and everyone of them, try typing in any of his victims names to see how many RIP pages have been started in each name....not near as many of the one that the media is honoring.

 

[Ricki]

What worries is that the next killer is watching and noticing all the attention he will get dead or alive. And this is why I think mass shootings have increased, all of the media attention the killer gets. These incidents will increase for that very reason, mark my words.

Was just listening to Max Lucado. He said that this act was humanity at it's ugliest. He is right. It was also said that there may be others out there who actually look up to this murder. Humanity at it's ugliest indeed.

 

[fred&edna]

Snipped from article:

Two law enforcement sources said the hard drive had been removed from Lanza's computer and broken in pieces. They said that forensic electronics experts at the FBI will examine the drive in an effort to determine with whom Lanza corresponded electronically and how he otherwise used the device.

No!!!!!!!!! Is there any way it can be repaired??

He probably knew how to cover his tracks but I surely hope it can be repaired. Also, I have a read a couple of reports (none that I can link to without violating TOS) that AL posted his plans online... one is likely a hoax, the other... I'm still curious about. I've tried to find more info but I'm too faint of heart to venture too far into the deep dark web.

 

[Grasshopper]

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

Exactly! Part of me wonders if the dad offered to pay more alimony (as reported in an interview with his divorce attorney) either as a good riddance check or a guilt check. Just an opinion. I'm sure the man loved his child and is a great person. We all reach our breaking points.

 

[FootballMom]

The ME said today that all the victims were killed with the long gun (the Bushmaster).

Clarification - who had been autopsied as of the press conference today...

 

[LolaMoon08]

Thank you, but I have read that numerous times and again I say no mention of his wife of 17 years or his son. I just don't think that is right. They both are dead and I would think he would feel some kind of remorse or sadness. JMO

There will be a time and a place for him to address his son and ex-wife. It is my opinion that today is not that day. I appreciate that he was sensitive to the victims families and did not include them in his first public statement.

Yes, NL is a victim too, but we have no idea what issues this man had with his ex-wife and his son. Maybe he did not agree with the way NL was dealing with AL's issues. He hasn't talked to AL in two years. When AL was 18-years-old (legally an adult). Something had to have happened for him and the older brother to cut off all contact with AL.

I have no problem with him not addressing either of them as of this moment. The guilt he must be feeling, as a father, is intolerable to think about. I'll wait until he has been able to grasp what his son has done and the issues that lead to what his son did.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I also read that NL was shot in her bed with the rifle, is that true?

AFAIK no details about her death have been confirmed by official sources.

ETA: In the presser today the CT ME Examiner said the autopsies had not yet been performed on the killer and his mother and would not be completed until Sunday morning. So I seriously doubt the accuracy of any details released yet.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

Clarification - who had been autopsied as of the press conference today...

All of the victims - children were done first and then the adults. AL and NL are going to be done tomorrow morning.

 

[gramcracker]

Connecticut School Shooting Victim [CH]

sweet Catherine Violet

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/12/connecticut-school-shooting-victim-catherine-hubbard/

she is darling! sweet eyes and pretty smile. I love how children always have the right hair color to go w/ their skin

then we get older and (some of us) make unflattering hair color mistakes, ranging from uh oh to just plain wrong!

but children always look at home in their skin w/ just the right hair color. I smiled when I saw that she has a purple name to go w/ her red hair

 

[mck16]

This happens to MANY caretakers of chronically ill people.

I understand, but this was a family??? Maybe not. Just can't imagine totally being abandoned father and brother. jmo

 

[Ricki]

Clarification - who had been autopsied as of the press conference today...

Everyone except the shooter and his mother. They will be done in the morning.

 

[helpful]

Apologies if this has already been posted, as it's hard to keep up with such a fast-moving thread, but I thought I'd share.

This article from the Daily Mail has photos of some of the children who died. So incomprehensibly sad. They were all just babies.

 

[Ricki]

A reporter on Fox news called the shooter the devil. Glad she did not mention his name.

 

[FootballMom]

Considering earlier reports that the mother told his brother and/or a friend who watched Adam not to leave him alone in any room even if just to go to the bathroom, I would think there was something very volatile about him. Eventually, maybe his father or brother will tell us the story.

Unless of course the reason he could/should not be left alone was due to sensory issues with the ability to feel/respond to pain due to congenital analgesia and/or Aspergers... not because he was violent.

 

[mck16]

she is darling! sweet eyes and pretty smile. I love how children always have the right hair color to go w/ their skin

then we get older and (some of us) make unflattering hair color mistakes, ranging from uh oh to just plain wrong!

but children always look at home in their skin w/ just the right hair color. I smiled when I saw that she has a purple name to go w/ her red hair

God really is amazing. Greatest artist I know. jmo