Connecticut school shooting: 18 children among 27 dead

[Tribal Warfare]

'Close to 20' dead in Connecticut school shooting, source says
Newtown, Connecticut (CNN) -- Nearly 20 people died Friday in an elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.

At least 10 of the dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School were children, the source said. At a news conference Friday afternoon, state police Lt. Paul Vance would say only that there had been "several fatalities."

The school was secure, and the public was not in danger, Vance said.

"Why? Why?" one woman wailed as she walked up a wooded roadway leading from the school.

A parent who was inside the school at the time of the attack said she heard what sounded like at least 100 rounds being fired. She said she saw two school employees who had died.

'I hope my mom is ok': Tweets from the Connecticut school shooting

Hospital officials in neighboring Danbury said they were treating three people wounded in the shooting. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said the victims were in "very serious" condition.

The shooter is dead, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN's Susan Candiotti. The suspect's body is in a classroom at the school, the source said.

A law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation said a male was being questioned but he is not being called a suspect.

Federal officers in tactical gear were on the scene, coordinating with local and state police. At least four ambulances remained at the school Friday afternoon.

Police have recovered two weapons from the suspect, a Glock and a Sig Sauer, the source said. It's unclear if police killed the suspect.

'It doesn't seem possible' -- parents shocked by school shooting

Police and teachers rushed students from the building as police swarmed the area shortly after the first calls came in, around 9:40 a.m. ET. Officials moved students to a nearby firehouse, where parents frantically sought information about their children.

Third-grader Alexis Wasik said police and teachers barged into her classroom and told students to hide in the corner.

"Everybody was crying," she said. "And I just heard the police officers yelling."

Aerial images from CNN affiliate News 12 New Jersey showed police officers armed with rifles following a dog into woods near the school.

Other officers, some in tactical gear, stood around the school with guns drawn, CNN affiliate WFSB reported.

All schools in the city were on lockdown Friday as police assessed the situation, Vance said.

Gov. Dan Malloy is "horrified" by what happened, a spokesman said.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Obama administration feels "enormous sympathy" for affected families and pledged federal support for state and local law enforcement.

Newtown is about 60 miles north of New York.

Originally Posted by DaFace

This thread is not a place for discussion about gun control. There's a thread for that here:

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=261606

People who can't understand that will be banned from this thread.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Facebook can be a great tool for networking and business.

So to say nobody "needs" it is inaccurate.

This wasn't a cult related event.

Not sure why you're chiming in...

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

And you're aware of the privacy measures users can take advantage of to hide certain things?

He leave his laptop out. His Facebook account is always open. His mother knows his password.

I'm not worried.

[oldandslow]

Originally Posted by ZepSinger

To answer your questions- there are several outstanding homeschool programs that are entirely secular. The only real difference between the two is that Christian curriculums include a course in Bible study. As far as socialization- we make sure that our kids are involved in our church youth groups, karate classes, dance, gymnastics, homeschool field trips, etc. They definitely do not live in a bubble at home. They are all bright, well-mannered, and make friends easily. And of course there's the socialization that you don't want for them- peer pressure that includes drugs, premarital sex, not to mention the very real possibility of a teacher initiating inappropriate contact with them.

Hope this helps-

Z

Zep -We homeschool as well.It's not for everyone. I have seen parents do a terrible job at it. On the other hand all of my kids - 3 bio and 3 adpted - alll did well with it. Socialization is not the problem some make it out to be. Lots of groups for kids to be with...

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by mcan

My guess is he is a pure sociopath with no empathy. Lived a life with few friends and no real prospects or future. Lived at home with parents who grew increasingly more and more frustrated with him. Maybe he was in trouble all the time, and eventually decided if he was going to be treated like a bad person, he'd become one. Killed his mom, decided that wasn't a horrible enough thing to do, so he went to the nearest elementary school and killed as many of the cutest, youngest kids as he could and then offed himself. There might not be any other answer than that.

You are closer than you think.

Originally Posted by memyselfI

For people who have no idea what this looks like imagine a severe case of Sheldon Cooper without the ability to make friends, have a roommate, a girlfriend, hold a job, understand humor, experience empathy, and being unreachable to change any of it.

Of course, the sitcom makes this all funny because Sheldon is as well adjusted as one could hope for given his limitations but imagine how hard life would be for someone like that without people around him who are able to help him cope. He is hopelessly dependent on the people around him.

http://learningneverstops.wordpress....es-poster-boy/

Yep.

Asperger's Syndrome is the highest functioning level of Autism. You see it early on but many parents just pass it off as "well that's just my child's uniqueness"(denial at that point in the parents that something is really wrong with their kid). It is not until the teen years they finally realize there is something severely wrong with their child's interpersonal and sociological relating skills to society. By then for most it is too late and they struggle mightily to fit in for the rest of their lives. Success dealing with Asperger's Syndrome must be diagnosed and treated early on in the elementary years and preferably in the toddler years.

Our neighbors across the street have an undiagnosed "Asperger's child who my wife has daycared for since he was 6 and now he is 13. He still likes to play with StarWar's figurines with 5yr old kids and has absolutely no empathy for others. Very emotionally stunted but highly intelligent in school getting good grades. They are beginning now to see that he is not normally fitting in but the mother in particular still refuses to see him as a mentally and emotionally challenged kid whereas the father sees it all the way but has washed his hands of his son out of frustration. It is a sad situation.

Asperger's Syndrome like any mental handicap in a child is very hard on a marriage and family if not diagnosed early on and if both parents aren't on board together with the diagnosis and treatment plan it is almost impossible for that kid to ever function normally in society by himself.

The difference between Asperger's and all other levels of Autism is that with Asperger's there IS enough "self-consciousness and intelligence' that an outside world exists whereas with all other levels of Autism they are in their own concooned intellectual and emotional world. Basically an Asperger's kid/adult knows consciously there is something wrong with him/her whereas the pure Autistic doesn't know there is anything wrong with themselves.

And this is THE BIGGEST challenge for a person with Asperger's when diagnosed and treated later in life and not caught early on in the elementary years. By then, emotionally for an Asperger's person they are so emotionally and mentally screwed up and beside themselves, very rarily do they ever get to a self-functioning level in society especially if the parents aren't united to get him help which doesn't seem to be the case for this Lanza kid. But divorce did occur which is difficult for any kid and especially for an Asperger's kid.

If true about this Lanza guy that he had Asperger's, now here you have a 20 yr old emotionally stunted man/child(5 to 8 yr old emotional state) who all of his rage was clearly aimed at his parents and specifically his mother and the 5yr old kids. In his severely emotionally stunted(warped) very sick mind and very sick heart his mother and the kids for whatever reasons(we don't know at this point)have been in 'his crosshairs' for a very long time IMO.

Here is my guess.

He finally snaps and goes to the school where his mother is a teacher's aid for a class of 5yr olds. Not only will he destroy and kill his mother's world forever but in his demented, sick warped emotional heart and mind he will destroy and kill the worlds of these 5yr olds and their families worlds forever as well. In his severely demented mind these 5yr old kids were stealing and receiving the unconditional love, approval and support from his mother that he never received from her that he probably heard about day in and day out for years that he hated and resented to hear because he knew he could never live up to her expectations because he knows there is something mentally wrong with him. He knows these 5yr olds are happy and normal with very loving families. And in his sick, demented, emotionally stunted mind if he can't ever be normal and can't ever be and live in his mother's world of unconditional love, approval and support and have a loving family then neither can these 5yr olds.

A very very very sad situation.

[Dave]

People just need to communicate with their children, not shelter them from everything.

My son also has a smartphone.

I'm sure someone will tell me what a horrible father I am...

[Branden Albert's Huge Balls]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Not sure why you're chiming in...

It's a message board?

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by Rausch

That's not really how it works...

no, I think it is. My kid as an affinity for gaming, I do the parenting thing to teach him/her balance, when the kid turns 18 and goes to school for programming/developing and makes a career out of an interest, I'm hoping the balance holds true and he/she doesn't only think about the gaming industry, but instead takes routine jogs, trips to scenic areas, reads, spends time with family, dates, etc. All the while I accept that he/she is adjusted and balanced. Despite my initial, "they will never make money with the computer interest" idea.

I think that is exactly how it's supposed to work.

[kcfanXIII]

Originally Posted by Chiefshrink

Here is my guess.

He finally snaps and goes to the school where his mother is a teacher's aid for a class of 5yr olds. Not only will he destroy and kill his mother's world forever but in his demented, sick warped emotional heart and mind he will destroy and kill the worlds of these 5yr olds and their families worlds forever as well. In his severely demented mind these 5yr old kids were stealing and receiving the unconditional love, approval and support from his mother that he never received from her that he probably heard about day in and day out for years that he hated and resented to hear because he knew he could never live up to her expectations because he knows there is something mentally wrong with him. He knows these 5yr olds are happy and normal with very loving families. And in his sick, demented, emotionally stunted mind if he can't ever be normal and can't ever be and live in his mother's world of unconditional love, approval and support and have a loving family then neither can these 5yr olds.

A very very very sad situation.

how do we make people understand that this right here is the issue? mental illness is a serious problem.

[DonkyPuncher]

Will one of you super Christian Holy rollers explain to me how if this God of yours exists why would he allow 20 very young children to get murdered??? Not tryin to start any kind of holy war I just wanna hear some of your ridiculous explanations of why your God felt it was time for these kids to die...

[kcfanXIII]

Originally Posted by DonkyPuncher

Will one of you super Christian Holy rollers explain to me how if this God of yours exists why would he allow 20 very young children to get murdered??? Not tryin to start any kind of holy war I just wanna hear some of your ridiculous explanations of why your God felt it was time for these kids to die...

dude, really... find another time.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by DonkyPuncher

Will one of you super Christian Holy rollers explain to me how if this God of yours exists why would he allow 20 very young children to get murdered??? Not tryin to start any kind of holy war I just wanna hear some of your ridiculous explanations of why your God felt it was time for these kids to die...

This ain't DC pal.

[DonkyPuncher]

alright, I can respect that request I mean don't get me wrong as a father myself this horrible act has shaken me to the core

[HonestChieffan]

Originally Posted by DonkyPuncher

Will one of you super Christian Holy rollers explain to me how if this God of yours exists why would he allow 20 very young children to get murdered??? Not tryin to start any kind of holy war I just wanna hear some of your ridiculous explanations of why your God felt it was time for these kids to die...

Thats a question many of we Christians are asking. We ask anytime that bad things happen to good and innocent people. I read a piece this morning that helps give some perspective for me as a believer. Ill pass on the link. Maybe it will help others. Read it if you like....

http://www.russellmoore.com/2012/12/...itual-warfare/

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by DonkyPuncher

Will one of you super Christian Holy rollers explain to me how if this God of yours exists why would he allow 20 very young children to get murdered??? Not tryin to start any kind of holy war I just wanna hear some of your ridiculous explanations of why your God felt it was time for these kids to die...

As I explained earlier, I'm not a believer.

But as a non believer I still see power in prayer. Comfort, acceptance not withstanding - reactions to bizarre behaviors and putting kids in cabinets or bathrooms and locking doors, and moving furniture in front of bathroom doors with kids inside, etc. If believing and prayer helped those actions, than that's cool. If prayer helped give a last moment of peace before an unthinkable evil action, what's wrong with that?

Even believers can say it's not god's way to stop bad things from happening, but help believers get through those bad situations. Even if that bad situation is the last breath you take, taking it with peace is better than taking it with anxiety.

And all of that is assuming that I'm right. But what if I'm wrong and there actually is a higher power? Then the benefits just increased.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by kcfanXIII

how do we make people understand that this right here is the issue? mental illness is a serious problem.

Yes it is. And I'm sure as time goes on as more of these horrific evil slaughterhouse crimes keep occurring( and they will) not only will our 2nd Amendment rights keep getting assaulted evenmorso which is always a given by the Marxist Lefties when these tragic events occur, but you will see more and more required mental health evaluations given for everything under the sun you can imagine. Seems logical, however, this is a very very slippery slope you go down especially when your own Govt is getting bigger and bigger by the day(a la Govt taking more individual liberties and freedoms and violating privacy rights for so-called more security that NEVER happens) But this is still no guarantee of preventing someone from mentally going off.