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| Names of Newtown victims released as families try to digest 'devastating' attack | Names of Newtown victims released as families try to digest 'devastating' attack |
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| Thirty-one hours after their lives were ended when a 20-year-old man forced his way into their school and opened fire on some of the youngest pupils and their teachers, the names of those who died in the Connecticut school rampage were released on Saturday. | Thirty-one hours after their lives were ended when a 20-year-old man forced his way into their school and opened fire on some of the youngest pupils and their teachers, the names of those who died in the Connecticut school rampage were released on Saturday. |
| The nature of the tragedy is told perhaps most poignantly not through the list of 26 names of the victims published by police, but through their dates of birth. Sixteen of them were born in 2006 – they were six years old; four more were seven. The youngest victim, Noah Pozner, celebrated his sixth birthday less than a month ago, on 20 November. | The nature of the tragedy is told perhaps most poignantly not through the list of 26 names of the victims published by police, but through their dates of birth. Sixteen of them were born in 2006 – they were six years old; four more were seven. The youngest victim, Noah Pozner, celebrated his sixth birthday less than a month ago, on 20 November. |
| Now that the names have been made public, the first glimpse can be gained of the agony of families whose lives were overturned when Adam Lanza, for reasons that are yet to be disclosed, set out for Sandy Hook elementary school after killing his mother on Friday morning. | Now that the names have been made public, the first glimpse can be gained of the agony of families whose lives were overturned when Adam Lanza, for reasons that are yet to be disclosed, set out for Sandy Hook elementary school after killing his mother on Friday morning. |
| The victims included six-year-old Ana Marquez-Greene, whose older brother Isaiah was also in the school when the shooting happened, but survived. | The victims included six-year-old Ana Marquez-Greene, whose older brother Isaiah was also in the school when the shooting happened, but survived. |
| Ana was the daughter of a jazz saxophonist, Jimmy Greene, who moved his family to Newtown from Winnipeg, Canada only in July. When his friends expressed their horror on Facebook, he replied: "As much as she's needed here and missed by her mother, brother and me … Ana beat us all to paradise … I love you, sweetie girl." | Ana was the daughter of a jazz saxophonist, Jimmy Greene, who moved his family to Newtown from Winnipeg, Canada only in July. When his friends expressed their horror on Facebook, he replied: "As much as she's needed here and missed by her mother, brother and me … Ana beat us all to paradise … I love you, sweetie girl." |
| Another victim, Grace McDonnell, seven, lived with her parents just one street away from the house in Newtown where the gunman lived with his mother, Nancy Lanza. A neighbour, Dorothy Werden, told local reporters: "I just choke up when I think about it. Grace was like a little doll, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was utterly adorable." | Another victim, Grace McDonnell, seven, lived with her parents just one street away from the house in Newtown where the gunman lived with his mother, Nancy Lanza. A neighbour, Dorothy Werden, told local reporters: "I just choke up when I think about it. Grace was like a little doll, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was utterly adorable." |
| Robbie Parker, the father of a six-year-old victim, Emilie, showed remarkable compassion in a statement made in front of live television cameras. Parker, 30, extended his support to the family of the gunman. "I cannot imagine how hard this experience is for you. Our love and support goes out to you as well." | Robbie Parker, the father of a six-year-old victim, Emilie, showed remarkable compassion in a statement made in front of live television cameras. Parker, 30, extended his support to the family of the gunman. "I cannot imagine how hard this experience is for you. Our love and support goes out to you as well." |
| Parker, who works at Danbury Hospital – where two children were taken from the scene of the shooting, and declared dead – described his daughter as "beautiful, blond, always smiling". He added: "She was the type of person that could just light up a room. She always had something kind to say about anybody ... She is an incredible person and I'm so blessed to be her dad." | Parker, who works at Danbury Hospital – where two children were taken from the scene of the shooting, and declared dead – described his daughter as "beautiful, blond, always smiling". He added: "She was the type of person that could just light up a room. She always had something kind to say about anybody ... She is an incredible person and I'm so blessed to be her dad." |
| The six-year-old victims were all in first grade classes targeted by Lanza. They included Jesse Lewis, who had been due to make gingerbread houses with the class on Friday afternoon. The boy's father, Neil Heslin, told the New York Post that his son had loved maths and riding horses. "He was just a happy boy. Everybody knew Jesse. He was going to go places in life. He did well in school. He was terrific with animals … He's been on horses since he was a year-and-a-half old." | The six-year-old victims were all in first grade classes targeted by Lanza. They included Jesse Lewis, who had been due to make gingerbread houses with the class on Friday afternoon. The boy's father, Neil Heslin, told the New York Post that his son had loved maths and riding horses. "He was just a happy boy. Everybody knew Jesse. He was going to go places in life. He did well in school. He was terrific with animals … He's been on horses since he was a year-and-a-half old." |
| Heslin described the actions of the shooter as cowardly. "It was a cowardly thing he did to the victims, and a cowardly thing he did to himself." | Heslin described the actions of the shooter as cowardly. "It was a cowardly thing he did to the victims, and a cowardly thing he did to himself." |
| The list of the dead also revealed the names of all the six adults who were killed. They included the principal, Dawn Hochsprung, 47, and the school psychologist Mary Sherlach, 56. The other school staff who died were Rachel Davino, 29, Anne Marie Murphy, 52, Lauren Rousseau, 30 and Victoria Soto, 27. Soto taught many of the first-grade pupils who died. | The list of the dead also revealed the names of all the six adults who were killed. They included the principal, Dawn Hochsprung, 47, and the school psychologist Mary Sherlach, 56. The other school staff who died were Rachel Davino, 29, Anne Marie Murphy, 52, Lauren Rousseau, 30 and Victoria Soto, 27. Soto taught many of the first-grade pupils who died. |
| In Kingston, New Hampshire, a police officer read a statement on behalf of James Champion, the brother of Nancy Lanza, killed by her son before he left their home for Sandy Hook school. "Our hearts and prayers are with those who share in this loss." | In Kingston, New Hampshire, a police officer read a statement on behalf of James Champion, the brother of Nancy Lanza, killed by her son before he left their home for Sandy Hook school. "Our hearts and prayers are with those who share in this loss." |
| Then, on behalf of Nancy's "devastated" mother, Dorothy Champion, the officer said: "We reach out to the community of Newtown to express our heartfelt sorrow for the incomprehensible loss of innocents that has affected so many." | Then, on behalf of Nancy's "devastated" mother, Dorothy Champion, the officer said: "We reach out to the community of Newtown to express our heartfelt sorrow for the incomprehensible loss of innocents that has affected so many." |
| The names of the dead were released after the Connecticut chief medical examiner, Dr Wayne Carver, and his team had identified all 26 bodies in the school. Carver said he had shown pictures of the children's faces to the parents to avoid having to bring families into direct contact with the bodies of their children. | The names of the dead were released after the Connecticut chief medical examiner, Dr Wayne Carver, and his team had identified all 26 bodies in the school. Carver said he had shown pictures of the children's faces to the parents to avoid having to bring families into direct contact with the bodies of their children. |
| Carver said he had seen a "devastating set of injuries. I believe everybody was hit more than once." Of the seven victims he examined personally, each had three to 11 gunshot wounds and two had been shot at close range. | Carver said he had seen a "devastating set of injuries. I believe everybody was hit more than once." Of the seven victims he examined personally, each had three to 11 gunshot wounds and two had been shot at close range. |
| He also indicated that early examinations suggested that all of the shootings had been carried out with a Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle, one of three weapons recovered close to the gunman who killed himself. Should the exclusive use of the Bushmaster be confirmed by investigation, it could prove significant in any ensuing debate over tightening up gun laws in the wake of the catastrophe. | He also indicated that early examinations suggested that all of the shootings had been carried out with a Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle, one of three weapons recovered close to the gunman who killed himself. Should the exclusive use of the Bushmaster be confirmed by investigation, it could prove significant in any ensuing debate over tightening up gun laws in the wake of the catastrophe. |
| President Obama said on Saturday that he wants to see "meaningful action" to prevent further such tragedies, and one option already being debated widely is to bring back the federal ban on semi-automatic assault rifles that was introduced by Bill Clinton but allowed to lapse in 2004 by George Bush. The Bushmaster would fall under that category, whereas the other two weapons in Lanza's possession, Glock and Sig Sauer handguns, would not. | President Obama said on Saturday that he wants to see "meaningful action" to prevent further such tragedies, and one option already being debated widely is to bring back the federal ban on semi-automatic assault rifles that was introduced by Bill Clinton but allowed to lapse in 2004 by George Bush. The Bushmaster would fall under that category, whereas the other two weapons in Lanza's possession, Glock and Sig Sauer handguns, would not. |
| While the list of the victims has now been released, police say that a positive identification of the shooter has still not been completed. There are also two adults who were injured in the rampage but are expected to make full recoveries, a police source said. | While the list of the victims has now been released, police say that a positive identification of the shooter has still not been completed. There are also two adults who were injured in the rampage but are expected to make full recoveries, a police source said. |
| A stream of visibly distressed families have been calling to pay their respects for the dead at the voluntary fire station located just next to Sandy Hook elementary school. A makeshift memorial comprising balloons, a wreath, bunches of flowers and a large heart made from 20 teddy bears, one for every child victim, grew steadily through the day. | A stream of visibly distressed families have been calling to pay their respects for the dead at the voluntary fire station located just next to Sandy Hook elementary school. A makeshift memorial comprising balloons, a wreath, bunches of flowers and a large heart made from 20 teddy bears, one for every child victim, grew steadily through the day. |
| The callers included Kumkum, a local family doctor who asked not to give her last name, who said she was preparing herself for what she expected to be powerful aftershocks from the tragedy. "There's going to be grief, and whatever grief brings with it – fright, anger, and the question: why us, why this quiet little town where nothing happens? Why, why, why?" | The callers included Kumkum, a local family doctor who asked not to give her last name, who said she was preparing herself for what she expected to be powerful aftershocks from the tragedy. "There's going to be grief, and whatever grief brings with it – fright, anger, and the question: why us, why this quiet little town where nothing happens? Why, why, why?" |
| Angel Soares, an elementary teacher from Providence, had driven down the coast to Newtown because she said she kept thinking to herself: "What would have happened if it had been my kids? When you go to teach in a school every day the kids in your class become your kids, and your first instinct is to protect them." | Angel Soares, an elementary teacher from Providence, had driven down the coast to Newtown because she said she kept thinking to herself: "What would have happened if it had been my kids? When you go to teach in a school every day the kids in your class become your kids, and your first instinct is to protect them." |
| Maria Privera came to hang a large white angel on the memorial at the fire station, because her grandaughter, Calliope, five, had asked her to take her there. "She is saying to me she doesn't want to go back to school," Privera said, referring to the nearby school in nearby Norwalk that her granddaughter attends. | Maria Privera came to hang a large white angel on the memorial at the fire station, because her grandaughter, Calliope, five, had asked her to take her there. "She is saying to me she doesn't want to go back to school," Privera said, referring to the nearby school in nearby Norwalk that her granddaughter attends. |
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