Conn. Shooting Updates: Lanza Girlfriend Missing, Parents Of Students Describe Horror
Connecticut State officials gave a brief press conference (at 6PM EST) to update with the latest information they’ve made available at this hour.
“Evil visited this community today,” Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy began, as the conference began in Newtown.
The governor expressed condolences and shock and told those gathered that it was “too early” to think about recovery in the shootings that claimed the lives of 20 school children and at least eight adults.
At this hour, police have confirmed Ryan Lanza, erroneously reported to have been the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary, is not believed to have had any connection with the shooting.
Several reports indicate that a girlfriend of one of the Lanza brothers as well as a female friend have been missing in New Jersey since the tragedy unfolded. It is not clear which brother’s girlfriend is believed to be missing, nor has her identity been confirmed.
The identity of the second person believed to be missing has also not been revealed.
In the wake of the Newtown shooting, Connecticut State Police and other law enforcement agents have been taking an extremely cautious approach to confirming details of the tragedy, possibly due to the sheer number of fatalities that occurred in Newtown today.
And while State Police in Connecticut are being circumspect, media has turned to parents to determine what may have occurred inside Sandy Hook Elementary.
Robert Licata, father of a 6-year-old boy, says his son witnessed the shooting of his teacher.
Licata said that despite the imminent danger, the boy would not evacuate without his classmates.
“That’s when my son grabbed a bunch of his friends and ran out the door … He was very brave. He waited for his friends.”
Reuters Social Media Editor Matthew Keys confirms Ryan Lanza is cooperating with police:
WCBS-TV: Ryan Lanza being cooperative with authorities, did not “really have any contact” with younger brother over past few years — Matthew Keys (@TheMatthewKeys) December 14, 2012
In the image below, parents at Sandy Hook Elementary wait to retrieve their children during lockdown: Meanwhile, authorities have reportedly confirmed that Adam Lanza used legally purchased weapons registered to his mother Nancy Lanza, a victim of the shootings:
NBC News: Weapons used in Connecticut school shooting legally purchased, registered to shooting suspect’s mother, source says – @nbcnews — Matthew Keys (@TheMatthewKeys) December 14, 2012
WCBS-TV: Told shooting suspect Adam Lanza was dressed in “tactical assault clothing” when he entered Connecticut school — Matthew Keys (@TheMatthewKeys) December 14, 2012
Keys has also reported that the father of Ryan Lanza and Adam Lanza, initially said to be among the dead, is alive and declining comment on the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre:
RT @connpost: Father of alleged Sandy Hook Elem. School shooter lives in Stamford, declines to comment: bit.ly/W70mFB — Matthew Keys (@TheMatthewKeys) December 14, 2012
A final number of victims in the Connecticut school shooting has not yet been confirmed.
