Twenty-eight are dead including 20 children at an elementary school in Connecticut on Friday after 20-year-old Adam Lanza opened fire inside the building where his mother Nancy was a teacher.

Six adults, 20 children and the shooter were killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. Eighteen students were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others died at the hospital, said Lt. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police. The six adults died at the scene.

Law enforcement officials speaking on condition of anonymity said that AdamLanza killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, then drove to the school in her car with at least three guns, including a high-powered rifle that he apparently left in the back of the vehicle, and shot up two classrooms around 9:30 a.m.

Police shed no light on the motive for the attack. Adam Lanza was believed to suffer from a personality disorder and lived with his mother, said a law enforcement official who was briefed on the investigation but was not authorized to discuss it.

Evil visited this community today," Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy just told reporters in Newtown early Friday evening.  "And it's too early to speak of recovery, but each parent, each sibling, each member of the family has to understand that Connecticut - we're all in this together.

"We'll do whatever we can to overcome this event. We will get through it. But this is a terrible time for this community and these families."

The shooting is the nation's second-deadliest school shooting, exceeded only by the Virginia Tech massacre that left 33 people dead in 2007.

A man is escorted to a car by law enforcement in Hoboken in connection with the Connecticut school shooting
A man is escorted to a car by law enforcement in Hoboken in connection with the Connecticut school shooting. (Michael Bocchieri/Getty Images)
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MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Adam Lanza's older brother, Ryan, 24, of Hoboken was being questioned by police, said the first official. Earlier, a law enforcement official mistakenly transposed the brothers' first names.

Ryan Lanza has been extremely cooperative during questioning late Friday by law enforcement in New Jersey, said a third law enforcement official who was briefed on the investigation.

Ryan Lanza is not believed to have any involvement and is not under arrest or in custody, but investigators were still searching his computers and phone records, said the third official.

Earlier, a law enforcement official mistakenly transposed the brothers' first names which led to confusion.

Former Jersey Journal staff writer Brett Wilshe said he has spoken with Ryan Lanza of Hoboken, who told Wil

Ryan Lanza has a Facebook page that posted updates Friday afternoon that read that "it wasn't me" and "I was at work."

One of the officials said earlier Friday that a girlfriend of one of the Lanza brothers and another friend were missing in New Jersey. Subsequently, the third official said police had talked with the girlfriend. One of the friends had to be reached in California, so it took some time.

The suspect drove to the scene of the shootings in his mother's car. The gunman took his own life.

Three guns were found at the scene — a Glock and a Sig Sauer, both pistols — and a .223-caliber rifle. The rifle was recovered from the back of a car at the school. The two pistols were recovered from inside the school.

Police say there are two "crime scenes" in Newtown: the Sandy Hook Elementary School and a home. Lt. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police told CNN that police did not fire their weapons at the school.

THE NATION COMES TOGETHER

 

President Obama addresses nation about Connecticut school shooting
President Obama addresses nation about Connecticut school shooting (White House)
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President Obama in a televised statement said the nation has to come together, take meaningful action after school shooting"The majority of those who died were children — beautiful, little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old," an Obama said. "They had their entire lives ahead of them — birthdays, graduations, wedding, kids of their own," Obama continued about the victims. "Among the fallen were also teachers, men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children."

Obama ordered flags lowered in honor of the victims of the shooting. Speaker Jon Boehner earlier ordered flags over the US Capital to be lowered in tribute to the victims. Connecticut Governor Malloy has ordered the same in his state.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Meanwhile, former Jersey Journal staff writer Brett Wilshe said he has spoken with Ryan Lanza of Hoboken, who told Wilshe the shooter may have had Ryan Lanza's identification.

Ryan Lanza has a Facebook page that posted updates Friday afternoon that read that "it wasn't me" and "I was at work."

LOOKING FOR THEIR CHILDREN

Parents flooded to Sandy Hook Elementary School looking for their children in the wake of the shooting. Students were told to close their eyes by police as they were led from the building.

Connecticut Governor Malloy is on the scene speaking to family members and police.

CNN reports at least 100 rounds fired inside the school according to a parent.

WNBC says administrators immediately went through student and teacher rosters to account for everyone in the school.

 

 

Law enforcement officials speaking on condition of anonymity said that Lanza killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, then drove to the school in her car with at least three guns, including a high-powered rifle that he apparently left in the back of the vehicle, and shot up two classrooms around 9:30 a.m.

Mergim Bajraliu, 17, heard the gunshots echo from his home and raced to check on his 9-year-old sister at the school. He said his sister, who was fine, heard a scream come over the intercom at one point. He said teachers were shaking and crying as they came out of the building.

"Everyone was just traumatized," he said.

Teachers are being praised by parents and students for calmly getting students to the far corners of their respective rooms as shots rang out according to WNBC.

Newtown is located  in western Connecticut about 60 miles northeast of New York City in Fairfield County.  WFSB-TV reports around 600 students attend the school.

State police said Newtown police called them around 9:40 a.m.

A photo posted by The Newtown Bee newspaper showed a group of young students — some crying, others looking visibly frightened — being escorted by adults through a parking lot in a line, hands on each other's shoulders.



Leanne Vuksanic, Matthew White, Annette Petriccione, Bob Williams and The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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