CONNECTICUT SCHOOL SHOOTING UPDATE: Death Toll 27; Gunman Now Identified as 20-Year-Old Adam Lanza

Posted on | December 14, 2012 | 55 Comments

UPDATE 6:20 p.m. ET: Nearly everything originally reported about the gunman was wrong, as Ace of Spades notes. Reports had ID’d 24-year-old Ryan Lanza as the shooter, but now it is reported that in fact the shooter was his 20-year-old brother Adam Lanza:

According to a report from ABC News, neighbors of the Lanza family “described Adam Lanza to ABC as ‘odd’ and displaying characteristics associated with mental illness.”
It is unclear who makes the accusation, but ABC is updating with new reports here.

PREVIOUSLY (12:15 p.m. ET)

Shortly before 10 a.m. ET, there was an incident at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., about 12 miles from Danbury.

The early information indicates that the school’s principal was the target of the attack. It was initially reported that three people have been wounded or injured and one person, the suspected shooter, is dead. We have additional reports from ABC News and the Hartford Courant, but I emphasize that early reports on events like this can be often be confusing and/or inaccurate.

A 1 p.m. ET press conference has been scheduled.

UPDATE: Chicago Tribune:

Multiple people have been killed in a shooting at a Connecticut elementary school. Police said some of the shooting victims are children, but it is not clear if they are among the dead. An official with knowledge of the situation says a gunman is dead.

NBC News is reporting that 20 people have been shot, including some children. It is not known how many are dead and how many are wounded.

UPDATE II: Now being reported by NBC News that, according to law enforcement, 17 adults and 7 children have been shot dead. I repeat that early reports can be inaccurate or confused.

UPDATE III: The death toll is now reportedly at 26 — 18 adults and 8 children — and I’m watching this on MSNBC, where they’re alternating between reporting the news and advocating gun control. As far as the news half of their programming is concerned, it is being reported that the shooter was 20 years old and was dressed in all black. As far as the opinion/advocacy:

Blaming guns for school shootings is like blaming spoon manufacturers for Michael Moore’s obesity.

— Robert Stacy McCain (@rsmccain) December 14, 2012

I’m trying to update the actual news here, and it’s not made easier by having to listen to idiots like Andrea Mitchell rhetorically bathing themselves in children’s blood in order to advance a political agenda.

UPDATE IV: There were “several fatalities at the scene,” Lt. J. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police said at a press conference in Newtown. Both students and staff of the school were among those dead, as was the shooter.

Lt. Vance did not give information about the shooter, nor give a number of those dead or wounded in the incident. He said that the first 911 call came “just after 9:30 a.m.. When state troopers and local police arrived on the scene, they “immediately entered the school” and began a thorough search for the gunman, Lt. Vance said, emphasizing that officers’ first priority was the safety of the children.

Lt. Vance added that are now “many agencies working together” to investigate this atrocious crime, explaining that search warrants have been used to gather additional evidence.

UPDATE V: It is now being reported that police have found the body of one of the 20-year-old gunman’s parents at a home in New Jersey. Summarizing more from The Hill:

Twenty-seven people including 18 children were killed Friday in a shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, according to the Associated Press. . . .
NBC news reported the gunman at the school was a 20-year-old man from Connecticut who carried two handguns. Law enforcement authorities were continuing to search the school and it was not clear immediately whether the gunman — who is dead at the scene — acted alone.

At this time, it is unknown when, how or why the gunman traveled to New Jersey and then back to this school in Connecticut.

UPDATE VI: OK, sources are now telling WNBC in New York that the shooter was actually 24 years old, not 20. His father’s body was apparently found in Hoboken, N.J., and that his mother was a teacher at the school in Connecticut.

The gunman’s name is being reported by MSNBC as Ryan Lanza, and reports also that Lanza’s mother is among those slain at the school.

UPDATE VII: The earlier report about a parent being killed in New Jersey was, apparently, incorrect: The gunman’s mother was shot dead in Connecticut, not in New Jersey, according to the latest reports from NBC. Lanza’s mother was a kindergarten teacher at the school, and it is reported that most of the dead children were in her classroom. Meanwhile, it’s being reported that Lanza’s attack on the school involved three weapons, a rifle and two 9mm pistols.

UPDATE VIII: Just now, one of my 20-year-old twin sons came by the house to help with the family Christmas tree. The TV was reporting this crime, which was the first he’d heard of it. “Twenty-seven people? What the hell happened?”

“Evil,” I said, and made the darkly sarcastic suggestion that Congress would pass the “Evil Control Act of 2013” to outlaw evil.

Dark sarcasm is just a habit, and perhaps not the best way of expressing my frustration toward idiots (like Alex Wagner of MSNBC) whose reaction to news like this is to share her cheery enthusiasm for new federal gun-control legislation.

What a pathetic soul. Ace of Spades has an excellent contemplation on why pathetic souls are capable of evil:

[A] certain form of intensely narcissistic psychopathy . . . spurs people to kill everyone close to them rather than just . . . suicide. . . .
nutters see themselves heroically, sort of as bigger-than-life agents of mayhem and evil. Now that may sound like a bad thing to you, but it doesn’t sound bad to them: They’ve embraced it. . . .
Yes, Evil is horrible, but these guys are embracing it for the Power of it. Because they are failures and hopelessly inadequate in their own lives, they contrive a fantasy in which they become Dark Heroes — larger than life and big as death — by murdering a lot of people. . . .

Read the whole thing. There was just another press conference in Newtown, and it was reported that there 20 children dead and 6 adult victims at the school, plus the shooter, as well as another victim at an “ancillary” scene, which we may guess was the shooter’s father.

UPDATE IX: Twitchy has a good round-up of tasteless remarks about today’s shooting made on Twitter by various celebrities, among them CNN’s Piers Morgan (who was hashtagging #GunControl) and Michael Moore, about whom my personal regard is just slightly higher than my opinion of Ryan Lanza.

My own previous outburst on Twitter, I actually rather regret, but decided to include it so that I could put it in context: I was sitting here trying to update the news as quickly as I could and, while NBC’s news reporting about the crime was very good, it was being sandwiched in between irrational lectures about gun control from Andrea Mitchell and others.

Focusing on the gun as The Source of Evil is simply absurd, an idea so false it deserves to be ridiculed at every opportunity. And so, after more than an hour of this on MSNBC — “We now interrupt our breaking news for another tendentious lecture about the need for new gun-control laws” — I simply felt an overwhelming urge to mock those useless assholes. Perhaps this wasn’t the appropriate time or venue for such mockery, and I apologize to anyone offended.

Except that fat fool Michael Moore, who can kiss my ass.

Linked at The Lonely Conservative and Victory Girls — thanks.

Category: Connecticut, Crime, Education

Comments

55 Responses to “CONNECTICUT SCHOOL SHOOTING UPDATE: Death Toll 27; Gunman Now Identified as 20-Year-Old Adam Lanza”

Garym
December 14th, 2012 @ 1:13 pm

Prayers to the families and those precious children.
JeffS
December 14th, 2012 @ 1:13 pm

Dear God. Why can’t these crazies just eat a bullet in the privacy of their home, and spare us their rage? Cowards, one and all.

Never mind, they’re insane. That’s enough. Unfortunately.

Some outlets (e.g., Fox) are reporting 18 children dead. So it’s too early to say for sure, at least by perusing INTERNET reports.

Condolences and prayers for the families.
Zilla of the Resistance
December 14th, 2012 @ 1:35 pm

I’m in NY state but on the border of CT, this happened in the next county over from me, about a half hour’s drive from here, too close to home. My kid is in elementary school and all I want is for her to come home so I can hug her. I am resisting the irrational urge to just go ahead and get her RIGHT NOW even though her school is fine. I just want my kid with me right now more than anything else in the world. My heart is utterly broken for all of the families who are dealing with the worst thing imaginable today. Dear God, please comfort them.
K-Bob
December 14th, 2012 @ 1:40 pm

Stacy, can you tell me why “early reports” from incidents like this are always so incredibly wrong? I mean, I know how the old game of gossip works and all, but come on! Sometimes we’re lucky to get any details at all that turn out to be correct in “early reports.”

Why to reporters (of all people) trust morons so much when gathering news?
K-Bob
December 14th, 2012 @ 1:41 pm

You just spoke for a lot of us. Thanks.
JeffS
December 14th, 2012 @ 2:12 pm

Reporters want to get the scoop, and probably don’t get confirmation. Hence the wildly varying numbers. Stacy is trying to filter out the noise from the signal, which is hard enough for any professional…..which excludes at least 95% of the media today. But does include Stacy, of course.

Plus, in a situation like this, law enforcement is usually the best source, and if they’re doing their job, they are telling the media to STFU, and getting on with their job. Once the area is secure, that’s the time for the casualty count.
Zilla of the Resistance
December 14th, 2012 @ 2:27 pm

This is allegedly the facebook profile of the murderer: https://www.facebook.com/rlanza?ref=ts&fref=ts
I also saw a report that a 2nd body has been found in his parents’ house.
Shooting At Elementary School In Newtown, CT – Updated | The Lonely Conservative
December 14th, 2012 @ 2:31 pm

[…] he would have been known to the school personnel. There are still quite a few unanswered questions. According to The Other McCain, Lanza’s parents were found dead at their home in New Jersey.Update 1:33 PM: The press […]
robertstacymccain
December 14th, 2012 @ 2:43 pm

TV reports are what drive the errors on a story like this. You have people on camera with hours to fill, and they’re trying to be the first to report any information they can get, even before it can be confirmed. “Sources say” becomes the basis for confusion.
Christopher Blake Carlton
December 14th, 2012 @ 2:44 pm

This always helps me in terrible times like these.

Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and for evermore.
ReaganiteRepublican
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:03 pm

About as bad as it gets
richard mcenroe
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:06 pm

The new rigorous standard of journalism is, as long as they can some “on the scene reports” or “there are claims that” they can say any damn thing they want to fill the space between commercial breaks.
K-Bob
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:11 pm

So it isn’t the shoeleather folks (mostly). Good. Thanks!
K-Bob
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:12 pm

Ace has a good post on this, with a very good suggestion for the media.
Innocence Lost: Newtown, Connecticut Elementary School Shooting
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:13 pm

[…] the latest, Stacy at The Other McCain, is doing amazing updates of this story. And please, don’t forget to pray for the families […]
Evi L. Bloggerlady
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:19 pm

This is just horrible. My heart goes out to these families.
K-Bob
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:20 pm

Weasel Zippers has the rundown on the usual suspects shamelessly politicizing this tragedy, calling for gun bans.

Twitchy has noted David Frum, Piers Morgan and other Ghouls chiming in. These people need to be shamed, mocked, and haunted.
ToursLepantoVienna
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:26 pm

Dear Nut Jobs,

Please feel free to feed yourself from the barrel of a weapon, but leave the rest of us out of it.

Sincerely,

Civilization
Finrod Felagund
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:32 pm

They need to be asked repeatedly about the maniac in China that attacked 22 children– with a knife.

Link from today’s Live at Five: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-14/knife-wielding-man-injures-22-children-in-china/4428958
SDN
December 14th, 2012 @ 3:52 pm

Stacey, over at Hot Air, the report is that the rifle was left in the shooter’s car.
robertstacymccain
December 14th, 2012 @ 4:15 pm

Thanks for the tip, K-Bob. Included in the update.
Justsayin
December 14th, 2012 @ 4:28 pm

Your spoon/Michael Moore crack isn’t just plain nasty, given the circumstances, it’s completely inapt. As best I can tell, the only person feeding himself a bullet was the shooter.
Quartermaster
December 14th, 2012 @ 4:36 pm

It’s an analogy, a quite worthy analogy, to the leftist nonsense on gun control. I feel naught but pity that you would see such a thing as “inapt.” The “Evil Control act of 2013” is just as good. That’s all the immature left (redundant, I know) is actually trying to do. Their lack of attachment to reality is much of the problem society has with that evil lot.
Libertarian Advocate
December 14th, 2012 @ 4:53 pm

Adam Lanza, 20, was the shooter. Ryan Lanza, 24 his brother, appears to have had no role whatsoever. It would be good to correct the bad info, and apologize to Ryan.
Let Connecticut (and America) Mourn! - Lowering the Boom
December 14th, 2012 @ 4:57 pm

[…] R. Stacy McCain provides more skilled mockery, and an “as it happened” reporting. Also, this gem: Just now, one of my 20-year-old twin sons came by the house to help with the family Christmas tree. […]
Justsayin
December 14th, 2012 @ 5:07 pm

I’m not going to get into it with you. You’re just flailing. As for Stacy’s Evil control act jag, it’s as far off target as his spoon manufacturer analogy, just in a different way. We all want to ban Evil, but take on different facets. Some want to ban abortions. Others speeding. No ban on evil acts can be foolproof, and is probably going to be more effective if nuanced. As for the spoon/Moore analogy, it fails miserably because, unlike Michael, none of the victims were agents of their own demise. You and Stacy seem to argue that evil can’t be fought. Really?
PSWong
December 14th, 2012 @ 5:12 pm

I immigrated from Malaysia where guns are completely banned. That doesn’t prevent the lunatics and gangs at large from making the occasional headline with horrific ‘Parang Attacks’. Parangs are traditional meat cleaving sabers. Before Democrats reflexively point their finger at “Republican Gun Culture” and the 2nd Amendment…I suggest they examine which culture is truly to blame. The Conservative One that teaches a child love, respect and ownership of his community. The one that imbues self control, personal responsibility and a sense of right and wrong. Or the ‘Liberal’ one that promotes otherwise.
Some1
December 14th, 2012 @ 5:49 pm

I’m more offended you apologized. Reporters are assholes and should be treated as such.
phantommut
December 14th, 2012 @ 5:59 pm

You should update the title of this post. Ryan Lanza has enough problems today.
Maggie OHearn
December 14th, 2012 @ 6:04 pm

I am an outsider, I live in Australia. The majority do not own guns. Yet there are shootings all over the place. There are also murders via people using their fists to knock people down, and the most recent was the stabbing murder of a police inspector.
Like Stacey says, it is evil that kills. People embrace evil, guns, knives and even fists are used to murder.
BTW I am one who had a cousin, who was kidnapped, raped and murdered with a bullet to her head. At the same time a child who had been my next door neighbour was taken from the street, and he was raped then murdered (probably strangled).
Dianna Deeley
December 14th, 2012 @ 6:05 pm

I see that the shooter was the younger brother – Adam Lanza, 20.

How we’re supposed to deal with this, except as Ace suggests, I simply do not know.
» Shooting at Connecticut elementary school - Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion
December 14th, 2012 @ 6:13 pm

[…] Robert Stacy McCain at The Other McCain […]
SignPainterGuy
December 14th, 2012 @ 6:54 pm

Trooper Vance of the CT State Police in his 2nd press conf. told reporters that “they had sent up “Trooper 1”, their helicopter, probably to keep “YOUR” helicopters away, quite frankly !”
Lightwave
December 14th, 2012 @ 7:06 pm

To own a gun takes about a week, some money, plus a firearms course in some cases

10k firearms homicides in America yearly.

To be a doctor requires nearly a decade of college and training.

200k medical malpractice deaths in America yearly.

To get an abortion requires some money and some time.

1.2 million unborn babies killed in America yearly.

Which one of the three do conservatives want to regulate the most, and which one of the three do liberals want to regulate the most?

Now tell me who the lunatics are in America.
K-Bob
December 14th, 2012 @ 7:09 pm

Right. I’m trying to score this better. So it’s about the bullets, and not the gun. Gotcha.
K-Bob
December 14th, 2012 @ 7:14 pm

Yeah, I saw that on the news feed. (And you have to go to some other country’s newspapers to read about it.)
Leopold
December 14th, 2012 @ 7:34 pm

“Focusing on the gun as The Source of Evil is simply absurd, an idea so false it deserves to be ridiculed at every opportunity.”

But it is consistent; we call it the War on Terror — focusing on the tool/mechanism, not the underlying cause, because we are too afraid to think the truth.
Adjoran
December 14th, 2012 @ 7:39 pm

Half wit. We didn’t blame the planes on 9/11 or the truck bombs in ’98.

The “underlying cause” of terrorism is that barbarians are soulless murdering animals. Just like the loser who killed these kids.
The Death Of Innocents In Connecticut « American Glob
December 14th, 2012 @ 7:56 pm

[…] The Other McCain […]
phantommut
December 14th, 2012 @ 8:01 pm

Just to be clear. Apparently the thing that did this took one of its mother’s guns, shot her in the face, and THEN went to the school where she worked and shot up a classroom of kindergarten kids and various others who got in its way.

The thing could have done as much or worse with a knife, a can of gasoline, some fertilizer, a pound of nails, and a match. The need would have driven it to find a way. As the need did.

My grandma’s pistols have nothing to do with this. Why we have things that feel the need to kill and then kill themselves is a harder but much more important issue.
DaveO
December 14th, 2012 @ 8:22 pm

It will likely be another 24 hours before we know the actual diagnosis (if one exists) of mental illness, and likely another week before his actions and words have been discovered and placed into some context.
JeffS
December 14th, 2012 @ 8:42 pm

Calling Leopold a half-wit is being too kind by half.
Bob Belvedere
December 14th, 2012 @ 8:52 pm

Exactly. And they’ll be doing liveshots from that school for the next month or so.
Bob Belvedere
December 14th, 2012 @ 8:53 pm

The Shoeleather guys are out hunting down information while the preening TV dolts are arranging their hair for the next liveshot.
JeffS
December 14th, 2012 @ 9:11 pm

A good move on their part.
Sickness… « Pixie Place II
December 14th, 2012 @ 9:32 pm

[…] The Other McCain updated all day, though I just now had the guts to read anything but the flimsiest of Twitter posts… Share this:ShareEmailFacebookTwitter Fight of Our LivesGod Bless AmericaWolverines! ← Previous post […]
McGehee
December 14th, 2012 @ 10:02 pm

I just fielded a call from the Half-wit Anti-Defamation League about Adjoran’s gaffe. They sounded pissed.

Also half-witted, but mostly pissed.
K-Bob
December 14th, 2012 @ 10:06 pm

Exactly. People should look up the Bath, Michigan school bombing. No bullets.
Chris Rock Was Right : The Other McCain
December 15th, 2012 @ 6:40 am

[…] at a school in Connecticut and I figured this might be a story worth mentioning on the blog.The original 12:15 p.m. ET post relayed reports that “three people have been wounded or injured and one person, the suspected […]
ConMom
December 15th, 2012 @ 8:23 am

[…] The Other McCain has more. Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. Tags: newtown Permalink […]