A masked man dressed in black entered an elementary school today in Newtown, Connecticut and opened fire with two handguns, killing a reported 26 people, 18 children and 8 adults. The shooter is dead. Law enforcement is expected to hold a news conference shortly. We'll keep you updated.
Sources told The Courant that there are at least 20 shooting victims. Many of the shootings took place in a kindergarten classroom, sources said.
One entire classroom is unaccounted for, sources said.
A person believed to be a shooter is dead. Earlier reports of a second shooter are unconfirmed.
UPDATE II: There are two attackers. One is a 20-year-old man who is dead. The other has not been identified. A .232 rifle and two handguns were used. An entire kindergarten class was mowed down. President Obama was notified by his Homeland Security adviser at 10:30 am about the shooting.
President Barack Obama spoke to Connecticut's governor Friday and expressed condolences to those who lost loved ones in the elementary school shooting, the White House said.
White House spokesman Jay Carney would not confirm details of the shooting. Officials with knowledge of the incident said 27 people, including 18 children, were killed.
"As a father, incidents like these weigh heavily on him," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
MSNBC is already politicizing the situation.
UPDATE 1:51 PM: Law enforcement authorities just wrapped up a press conference outside of the school in Newtown. The 911 call about the incident came in at 9:30 am. Newtown police then contacted the Connecticut state police. On and off duty troopers immediately went to the school and started an active duty search. The main objective was to evacuate as quickly and efficiently as possible. The shooter is dead and still inside the building. There is a great deal of search warrant activity going on in and out of Connecticut. The scene is secure. ATF and other agencies are on the scene conducting investigations. Fox News has reported the shooting took place 10 minutes after school started this morning at 9 am while the principal was making school announcements. The principle was targeted and the entire school heard the first shots ring out over the intercom.
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UPDATE 2:25 PM: Shooter has been identified as 20-year-old Adam Lanza 24-year-old Ryan Lanza. Lanza is from Newtown, Conn. A body of a woman has been found in his home and authorities believe it may be his mother.
UPDATE 3:10 PM: The father and mother of Adam Ryan Lanza have been found dead in their homes. President Obama makes remarks.
UPDATE 3:25 PM: Ryan Lanza is 24-years-old. According to a Lexis Nexis search shows information of Adam Lanza's mother, 52-year-old Nancy Lanza, who was a teacher at the school. His father is shown as 54-year-old Peter Lanza. His parents are divorced. Lanza reportedly killed his mother and father before heading to the school this morning to kill Sandy Brooke Elementary School Principal Dawn Hochsprung, who was 47-years-old. His brother, shown as Adam Lanza, is being reported as dead. Ryan Lanza, shooter Adam Lanza's brother, is alive.
UPDATE 4:00 PM: Shooting suspect is Adam Lanza, brother of Ryan Lanza. Adam Lanza is dead at the crime scene in Connecticut and was carrying his brother's identification at the time of the shooting. Ryan Lanza is not a suspect and is alive in Hoboken, NJ.
UPDATE 4:25 PM: Authorities have just admitted they gave reporters and the press bad information as the situation has been confusing all day. Authorities originally told reporters Ryan Lanza was the shooter and ahve now said Adam Lanza, who killed himself at the scene, is the shooter. Authorities also said Adam Lanza killed his father in Hoboken, however his father is still alive. Adam Lanza killed his mother, a kindergarten teacher at the school, along with all of the children in her class.
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