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CT Mass School Shooting Suspect's Mom Was Gun Enthusiast, Taught Him To Shoot
By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 15, 2012
Modified Dec 17, 2012
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Dec 15, 2012
Modified Dec 17, 2012
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There has been a lot of updated information released today about yesterday's horrific Connecticut elementary school shooting, which left 28 people dead altogether, including 20 children. It seems that alleged shooter Adam Lanza, 20, had NOT been buzzed into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown as was first reported: “He was not voluntarily let into the school at all,” Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance said during a press conference. “He forced his way into the school.”
Vance also announced that investigators have uncovered “very good evidence,” that will be able to “paint the how, and more importantly, the why” this horrific incident happened. He stressed that it would take a few more days before they could let the media know what that evidence is, though. NBC's Pete Williams claims that officials are investigating whether Lanza is the person who had an "altercation" with four staff members at the school on Thursday. Three of the four were killed during the incident; it's unclear whether the fourth was not at school that day, or if they were the teacher who was shot in the foot while holding a door closed during the shooting spree. Vance noted that teacher, whose name hasn't been released yet, would be "instrumental" in figuring out what happened Friday morning.
It's also been revealed that Nancy Lanza—Adam Lanza's mother who he killed in their Newtown home before driving to the school—was not a teacher or substitute at Sandy Hook, also contradicting earlier reports. Janet Robinson, the school's superintendent, did not elaborate upon whether she had any other connections to the school. After fatally shooting his mother in the face, investigators say he took three of his mother's legally-owned weapons that he used in the assault, including a Glock, a SIG Sauer, and a .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle. In addition to those three weapons, cops also recovered a .45-caliber Henry repeating rifle, a .22-caliber Marlin rifle, and a .30-caliber Enfield rifle, a law enforcement source told CNN. "We're investigating the history of each and every weapon and we will know every single thing about those weapons," Vance noted.
“They went target shooting as a family,” Holmes also told The Daily News. “That was a passion. The whole family would go together.” It's unclear where those other three weapons came from, but NBC reports that Lanza went to a Dick's Sporting Goods store in Danbury on Tuesday to buy a rifle, but was turned down because he didn't want to undergo a background check or abide by the state's waiting period for gun sales.
According to the Post, Nancy Lanza was a gun enthusiast who often took her son shooting with her. “She'd take them to the range a lot…Nancy was an enthusiast—so much so that she wanted to pass it on to her kids,” said her former landscaper and "occasional drinking buddy" Dan Holmes. “She took her two sons to the gun ranges quite a bit to practice their aim. She was a really great shot from what she told me. Whenever I finished work and went inside to chit chat, she spoke often about her fascination with firearms. Nancy had an extensive gun collection and she was really quite proud of it.”
The NY Times talked to more friends and neighbors about Nancy Lanza, with some calling her an upbeat, participating member of the community (who would go to Labor Day picnics and ladies' nights out); others said she was a woman dealing with a difficult son and maintaining a public face “with uncommon grace.” Interestingly, none of those people could say what she did for a living. “She was really kind and warm, but she always seemed a little bit high-strung,” said Jim Leff, a musician who knew her from hanging out at local restaurant and music spot, My Place.
Tagged
adam lanza
connecticut
death
guns
mass shooting
nancy lanza
newtown
newtown shooting
sandy hook elementary school
tragedy
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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