School Shootings: Protests As NRA Speaks Out

America's most powerful gun lobby has defended the use of firearms and argued that armed guards could have prevented the Sandy Hook school shooting.

Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), called on the US Congress to immediately pass legislation to place guards with guns in schools by the time classes resume from winter breaks in January.

He said the proposal was aimed at stopping the next killer "waiting in the wings", claiming that "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun".

Banks, sports stadiums, airports and court houses already have such protection, he added.

"If we truly cherish our kids more than our money, more than our celebrities ... we must give them the greatest level of protection available," Mr LaPierre added.

He argued in favour of a "model school shield" programme consisting of volunteer patrols to be implemented at every school nationwide, at any cost. 

The NRA's comments came exactly a week after a gunman killed 26 people, including 20 young children, at the school in Newtown, Connecticut.

Former Republican Congressman Asa Hutchinson, also speaking at the news conference, said armed, trained guards would be part of the programme but not all of it.

He said local school boards could decide on a case-by-case basis if schools should not have guards.

Mr Hutchinson called the NRA a natural choice to head up the "potentially life-saving effort" because of its gun safety, marksmanship and hunter education programmes. 

Protesters were quickly removed

Two protesters from the social justice group Code Pink interrupted the news conference, holding banners in front of Mr LaPierre and shouting that the NRA "is killing our kids".

They were quickly removed from the room.

Mr LaPierre also suggested creating a national database of those with mental health issues.

And he blasted the media and video game industries as "a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells and stows violence against its own people".

The NRA's propositions come as President Barack Obama vowed to address gun control, and appointed Vice President Joe Biden to lead a working group of administration officials and outside advisers to offer recommendations by January.

Parents and administrators' reactions were ranging from hesitation to anger over the NRA proposal.

Superintendent Hank Grishman of the Jericho, New York, schools on Long Island said he was outraged by the idea.

He said putting more guns in schools will not make children safer, and could even put them in the line of more gunfire.

Parent Helen Gym in Philadelphia called it "extraordinarily opportunistic".

Many of the nation's schools already do have armed school resource police officers on campus.

On Friday morning people in Newtown and across the nation observed a moment of silence to honour the shooting victims.

Gunman Adam Lanza, 20, also killed his mother one week ago before later taking his own life at Sandy Hook Elementary school.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

School Shooting: Tributes To British Victim

The family of a six-year-old British boy killed in the Sandy Hook shootings have paid tribute to their "joyous" son at his funeral.

Dylan Hockley was one of 20 children shot dead by gunman Adam Lanza at the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, last Friday.

The little boy died in the arms of his favourite teacher Anne Marie Murphy, who was also killed in the shooting.

Mother Nicole Hockley told the congregation at Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, Connecticut, that Dylan - who had a form of autism that hindered his language development - would flap his arms when he got excited.

When she asked him why, he replied: "Because I am a beautiful butterfly."

Hundreds of family and friends filled the church to commemorate Dylan's life.

Purple and white balloons were released at the end of the funeral to symbolise the 20 children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook school. Purple was Dylan's favourite colour.

He was born in Hampshire to a British father and American mother - Ian and Nicole Hockley - and the family moved to Newtown two years ago.

They praised staff at the school including headteacher Dawn Hochsprung and teacher Vicki Soto, who have been hailed as heroes as they tried to protect pupils from the gunman.

A statement from the family after his death read: "Everyone who met Dylan fell in love with him. His beaming smile would light up any room and his laugh was the sweetest music.

"There are no words that can express our feeling of loss. We will always be a family of four, as though Dylan is no longer physically with us, he is forever in our hearts and minds.

"We love you Mister D, our special gorgeous angel."

It comes after America's leading gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, called for armed guards to be placed in schools to prevent shootings.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Flood Defences Pushed To Limit As More Rain Due

Torrential winter storms have brought chaos to large parts of England and Wales, with roads closed, cars submerged and one village evacuated.

Residents of Wallington in Hampshire have been told to leave their homes because of fears the flood defences could be breached.

Across the country, the AA has rescued more than 300 cars that have become stuck in floodwaters.

And forecasters are warning of worse to come as the torrential rain showed no sign of letting up in the the run-up to Christmas.

So far southern and south western England has been the worst affected, with deluges in Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire leading to more than an inch of rain in some places.

The rising river in Wallington (Pic: Mike Payne)

Forecasters have warned that up to an inch could fall over Cornwall on Friday night, causing further havoc in areas where the ground is already saturated.

Residents in 55 homes in Wallington, Hampshire, were offered the chance to leave by police amid fears that the River Wallington could burst its banks, but only a handful chose to do so.

The Environment Agency has scores of flood alerts and dozens of flood warnings in place, while there is one severe flood warning in place in Wallington. The most severe alert, it is described as being a "danger to life" on the Agency's website.

South east Wales, the Midlands and the north east of England were also at risk as successive bands of rain sweep across the country. The weather is likely to remain unsettled for up to seven days.

Heavy rainfall spreading on Thursday morning

Sky News Weather Producer Jo Robinson warned that flooding would "remain a big concern" over the days before Christmas. 

She said that while it was much drier across the far south of the UK on Thursday evening as the rain band pushed north, further local flooding into the night should be expected.

"Eastern Scotland looks to see the heaviest rain overnight, with a further 20 to 30mm (locally 40mm) there," she said.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has issued various flood alerts and flood warnings, while the Met Office told Sky News that around 20-30mm of rain is expected to fall on Thursday in eastern parts of Northern Ireland. Up to 50mm is expected there on Saturday and Sunday.

It is feared the latest bout of wet weather could leave more homes under water and cause further disruption on the road and rail networks.

Motorists were warned not to use flooded roads and an AA spokesman said it had attended 327 break downs due to vehicles being driven through or still stuck in floodwater.

East Dorset and the New Forest in Hampshire were worst affected along with the Midlands, he added.

Officials have warned of the dangers of driving on flooded roads

River levels on the River Cober in Helston, Cornwall, are high after persistent rain on Wednesday, while the Dolphins River Park in Charmouth, west Dorset, was under threat from the River Char.

The River Wey in Weymouth, Dorset, was also rising, and the Somerset Levels face risk of flooding due to heavy rainfall of up to 20mm over Wednesday night on already saturated ground.

Flood defences have been put up in the riverside town of Bewdley in Worcestershire, on the banks of the Severn, and at Upton-upon-Severn existing flood barriers are being monitored as the river rose steadily.

Further defences are set to go up in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

In Devon and Cornwall, which bore the brunt of much of the worst weather during widespread flooding last month, police reported only minor disruption across the two counties.

Wallington on Thursday afternoon (Pic: Mike Payne)

There was no repeat of the scenes of late November, when dozens of people had to be evacuated from their homes as floodwater surged down narrow streets and floodplains saturated, causing millions of pounds of damage.

Cornwall Council said more than 100 members of staff were involved in dealing with flood-related calls over Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.

The majority of them were as a result of surface water flooding.

A spokeswoman for Fareham Borough Council said the three people who had taken up the offer of being evacuated in Wallington included one vulnerable person.

The evacuation warning came after three cracks appeared in the flood defences around the swollen River Wallington.

Structural engineers from the council and the Environment Agency have inspected the flood wall that has the cracks in it, and Environment Agency operations manager David Robinson said that the main concern was the high tide meeting the rain water after more than 20mm fell in the area overnight.

High tide, which came at 4.30pm in the village, passed without further flooding. The next high tide will be at 5.13am on Friday.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Women Drivers Face Insurance Premium Rise

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Reporter

Women drivers could see insurance premiums increase by around 25% as new laws come into force that ban setting prices according to gender.

Researchers believe it could force nearly a quarter of women drivers to give up driving altogether.

The European Court of Justice ruling follows a 10-year legal battle against the proposals by insurers.

It is not confined to car insurance but also covers pensions and life insurance.

Car insurance premiums could increase for young female drivers by an average of around £300 a year.

Those aged between 31 and 35 are also likely to be hit with a rise of around 10%, or £53 a year, according to research from comparison website Confused.com.

Michael Ossei, personal finance expert at price comparison website uSwitch, told Sky News: "What we have found is young women between 18 to 25 years old will be heavily affected by the change.

"What that means from our research (is that) 24% will be taken off the road, not able to drive, while a further 11% say they will have to sell their cars."

Men reaching retirement could also be hard-hit with annuities possibly decreasing by up to 13% a year, while women may see their life insurance policies increase by 16%.

Currently, men usually get a higher pension income than women because, on average, they die younger.

The Government is strongly opposed to the change.

Transport Minister Stephen Hammond told Sky News it was unnecessary and that they were working to manage the impact.

"One of the reasons we are against it (is that) the basic principles of insurance previously has been insurance based on risked rather than just gender-based."

The court ruling is an attempt to end discrimination and to bring about equality between men and women - but it is a decision that will come at a price for many.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

BBC Slammed Over George Entwistle Payoff

By Niall Paterson, Media Correspondent

The BBC has been criticised over its decision to award a former director-general a payoff of £450,000 - double what he would have received had he resigned voluntarily - less than two months after he started.

George Entwistle resigned after just fifty four days in the job, following widespread criticism of his handling of the aftermath of the Newsnight Jimmy Savile investigation.

He received the bumper payoff in order to speed up his departure from the broadcaster.

But a report from the Commons' Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has accused the BBC of "cavalier" spending of public money, and said it was "out of line both with public expectations and what is considered acceptable elsewhere in the public sector".

The committee also criticised the payoffs given to ten other senior managers. Former deputy director-general Mark Byford got £949,000 on his departure.

And former Chief Operating Officer Caroline Thomson received £670,000 when she left earlier this year.

During a PAC session, MPs claimed that she had been awarded the money partly as "compensation" after she missed out on the job of director General.

Describing the severance payments as "excessively generous" the committee's report also highlights their concern that the BBC Trust, which agreed Mr Entwistle's package, turned down an offer from the National Audit Office to examine the deal on his departure.

BBC chair Lord Patten has defended Mr Entwistle's payoff

PAC chairman Margaret Hodge said: "This cavalier use of public money is out of line with public expectations and what is considered acceptable elsewhere in the public sector."

But the BBC Trust defended Mr Entwistle's payoff, saying the "terms reached were the best available in the circumstances".

" ...it is simply wrong to suggest the BBC Trust had a choice between a severance payment of £450,000 or half that level.

"Indeed, if we had faced a constructive dismissal situation it would have cost us more and could have been a messy and long drawn out process.

"It is also not the case that the Trust refused to take up the offer to review the package - on the contrary, we suggested a wider study of severance payments at the BBC, which the NAO will now undertake," a Trust spokeswoman said.

The committee raised further concerns about the use of public money to provide private health care for senior BBC staff.

Ms Hodge said: "The BBC's generosity with severance packages goes beyond the one awarded to George Entwistle. Since 2010, over £4m in total has been made in severance payments to 10 other departing senior managers.

"The BBC is also providing 422 senior managers with private medical cover as part of their remuneration packages.

"We have asked the Comptroller and Auditor General to include in his 2013 programme of work on the BBC an examination of severance payments and benefits for senior managers."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hillsborough: High Court Orders New Inquests

The High Court has quashed the original accidental death verdicts for the Hillsborough victims and ordered new inquests to be held.

The landmark ruling was welcomed by the families of the 96 Liverpool supporters who were killed 23 years ago, and came shortly after the Home Secretary announced a new police investigation into the disaster.

Three months ago, a damning report from the Hillsborough Independent Panel revealed a widespread cover-up by police to put officers in a favourable light and deflect blame for the disaster on to Liverpool fans.

More than 40 families had travelled to London to attend the High Court hearing, and many applauded when the ruling by Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge was announced in the packed courtroom.

Others watched by videolink from Liverpool, where some cried at the news and the mayor called it a "watershed moment".

Lord Judge expressed regret that the families had to go through such a "dispiriting and prolonged" process.

The Attorney General Dominic Grieve said the main basis for his application to have the verdicts quashed was new medical evidence made public in the report by Hillsborough Independent Panel.

The Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989. Pic: David Cannon/Allsport

"It is bitter-sweet. We have known the truth for 23 years," said Michelle Carlile, 44, clutching a photograph of her brother Paul, 19, who died at Hillsborough.

Trevor Hicks, chair of Hillsborough Family Support Group, told reporters outside the courtroom: "Justice is on its way. Everything we've said has been proven to be correct."

The Liverpool supporters died in the crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989, when their team played Nottingham Forest in a semi-final of the FA Cup.

Watching from videolink in Liverpool, Cathy Crane, whose brother Gary Jones died in the disaster aged 18, said she felt "pleased and delighted".

"It has just been very difficult over the last 23 years. Every day having to fight for the honour of someone who you love and today, at least, people will start to understand what we have gone through."

Marion Brady, whose son Paul was crushed to death, said: "At last we feel we are getting somewhere."

Trevor Hicks lost two daughters in the disaster

The new police investigation will be led by former Durham chief constable Jon Stoddart, and will focus specifically on the 96 deaths.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I am determined to see a swift and thorough response to the findings of the Hillsborough Panel to deliver justice for the 96 football fans who died and the families who have fought so hard on their behalf."

Mr Stoddart will be able to recruit investigators and staff to his team, but he will not be allowed to employ officers or former officers with any prior connection to the Hillsborough disaster.

He is also unable to recruit any officers or former officers who worked in the West Midlands, South Yorkshire or Merseyside police forces.

"I am aware of the great significance and personal responsibility which comes with leading this criminal investigation," he said.

"My first priority is to meet with as many of the families as possible and to establish a working open relationship with them throughout the investigation."

Mr Stoddart added he had already held some meetings and had been "struck by the families' humility and steadfast determination to see justice delivered for their loved ones".

Reacting to the ruling in London, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: "This is a watershed moment on the road to justice for the families of the 96, and I share their overwhelming relief that, after 23 very painful years, the inquest verdicts have been quashed."

He expressed hope that as a result of the new police investigation "those that played a role in causing the disaster and the monumental cover-up are brought to account."

Meanwhile, Chancellor George Osborne has confirmed he will effectively waive VAT on a charity single in aid of Hillsborough families' legal costs. Any VAT paid will be returned in the form of a charitable donation.

The version of the Hollies' hit He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by The Justice Collective is currently the front runner in the race to be Christmas number one.

Prime Minister David Cameron earlier told campaigners for a tax break to expect good news, saying there would be "a decision that will go down well in Merseyside".

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

School Shooting: NRA 'Shocked And Saddened'

The National Rifle Association has broken its silence over the Sandy Hook school massacre, saying its members were "shocked and saddened" by the murders.

After a self-imposed media blackout, the powerful gun rights organisation made its first public statement on Friday's gun rampage by 20-year-old Adam Lanza.

He killed 20 pupils, aged six and seven, as well as six female members of staff after opening fire at the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

Lanza earlier shot dead his mother Nancy at the home they shared, and the gunman later killed himself at the school as police closed in.

The NRA said its members were "shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders".

Protesters demonstrated outside the NRA's headquarters in Washington DC

The group also said it wanted to give families time to mourn before making its first public statement.

It pledged "to help to make sure this never happens again" and has scheduled a news conference for Friday.

The massacre has re-ignited the debate over gun control in the US, with some calling for a clampdown on firearms.

President Barack Obama backs a new bill to reintroduce a ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Mr Obama is "actively supportive" of an attempt by Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein to write the bill early next year.

Adam Lanza killed his mother before shooting dead 20 children and six staff

The president has also telephoned pro-gun senator Joe Manchin, who has shifted his position on firearms laws since Friday's carnage in Connecticut.

Mr Manchin, along with fellow democrat Mark Warner, who have so-called "A" ratings from the NRA, said the Newtown massacre has convinced them the time for reform has come.

West Virginia's Senator Manchin told MSNBC it was time to "move beyond rhetoric" on gun control. He said: "I don't know anyone in the sporting or hunting arena that goes out with an assault rifle. It's common sense."

Senator Warner said "the status quo isn't acceptable" and in a later interview called for "rational gun control".

On Monday, 75 activists demonstrated outside the NRA's headquarters in Washington DC. They chanted: "Shame on the NRA," and demanded the organisation drop its hardline stance and make way for new gun control laws.

"More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country," said Josh Nelson, the campaign manager for the progressive Credo Action group that organised the protest.

"We call on the NRA's lobbyists to stand down and allow Congress to pass common-sense gun laws."

:: Watch USA: The Gun Debate on Sky News on Wednesday at 8.30pm.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

US Shooting: Doubts Over Lanza Asperger's Claim

By Brian Donathan, Sky News Online

A psychologist has told Sky News the actions of mass killer Adam Lanza were not consistent with someone who has Asperger's syndrome.

The gunman's parents reportedly informed friends and divorce mediators that their son had that form of autism.

But Dr Beth Weiner said Friday's shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut sounded more like the act of "an individual with an anti-social personality disorder".

She said: "If you bump into someone with Asperger's in the hallway, they might not process it correctly and they might lash out, but they don't plan out something in a premeditated way."

No evidence has been found to suggest Lanza, 20, was taking medication for mental illness, and authorities are still trying to determine whether he was ever formally diagnosed with any mental health disorder.

The massacre, in which Lanza's own mother Nancy was also shot and killed by him, has left a community in mourning and people around the world searching for answers on how similar acts can be prevented in the future.

Dr Weiner, a clinical psychologist and the director of the psychology and therapy master's degree programme at Long Island University-Hudson in West Chester, New York, said "early intervention is key".

The mother of victim Jessica Rekos is comforted at the child's funeral

She said: "Kids have to be targeted early, and the front line people are the school personnel," adding that schools are "overloaded" and cannot be blamed when these types of incidents occur.

"Their hands are tied. They can't do the kind of emotional assessments that some of these kids need," she went on.

What is needed, Dr Weiner said, is a closer relationship between school personnel and outside clinicians - people who are trained in treating clients with mental health disorders.

"We're talking about having more security guards at schools ... maybe we need to look at how we can bring in more mental health professionals into the schools systems on a consulting basis," she said.

Dr Weiner also said people have to start overcoming the stigma that is attached to mental illness, which often keeps parents from pursuing the help their child needs.

"It's not the same when it comes to mental illness," she said. "Parents are not going to be as quick to check off the box that asks whether their child has behavioural problems."

The psychologist said she hopes the Newtown shooting would help people realise the need to be more proactive when it comes to treating children and adults with mental illness.

"In this day and age we're still putting labels, we're still calling people crazy as opposed to asking what can we do for them so they are not shut away from their peers," she said.

"Sometimes that isolation can breed dangerous thinking."

:: Watch USA: The Gun Debate on Sky News on Wednesday at 8:30pm.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Newtown Shooting: First Funerals For Victims

The first funerals for victims of the Connecticut school shooting have taken place, three days after the massacre.

Services were held for six-year-olds Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto, who were among 20 children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

The children were shot dead by Adam Lanza, who also killed six members of staff before taking his own life. Earlier, he killed his mother, Nancy, at the home they shared.

Noah was the youngest victim and had been in school with his twin sister, Arielle, who escaped unhurt. He had celebrated his sixth birthday a fortnight ago.

"He was just a really lively, smart kid," his uncle, Alexis Haller, said. "He would have become a great man, I think. He would have grown up to be a great dad."

Jack Pinto (L) and Noah Pozner (R)

In his obituary in the Newtown Bee newspaper, his parents and four siblings said: "He was the light of our family, a little soul devoid of spite and meanness."

At the Abraham L. Green and Son Funeral Home in Newtown, where Noah's relatives sung hymns and paid their respects, well-wishers placed two teddy bears, a bouquet of white flowers and a single red rose.

Friends and family of Jack gathered in nearby Monroe to say their goodbyes.

The youngster was a keen wrestler and Jack Wellman, a sports coach at Sandy Hook, said children had placed their medals in his coffin.

He was buried wearing a red and white American football jersey with the number of his hero, the New York Giants player Victor Cruz.

"Jack was an incredibly loving and vivacious young boy, appreciated by all who knew him for his lively and giving spirit and steely determination," his parents, Dean and Tricia Pinto, said in an obituary in the Newtown Bee.

A couple hold hands following a burial service for Jack Pinto in Newtown

Jack was laid to rest at Newtown Village Cemetery while Noah was buried at B'nai Israel Cemetery, Monroe.

The Newtown shooting, which is among the deadliest in US history, has reignited the debate on gun control.

At a vigil in Newtown on Sunday, President Barack Obama called for "meaningful action" to prevent similar massacres from happening in the future.

"What choice do we have?" he said. "Are we really prepared to say that we're powerless in the face of such carnage, that the politics are too hard?"

Police are working 24 hours a day on the investigation into the shooting and plan to interview two adults who were injured but survived.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Newtown Shooting: New School For Survivors

By Brian Donathan, in Monroe, Connecticut

Officials admit the school where 20 children and six adults were shot dead may never reopen, as new classrooms are set up nearby for survivors of the massacre.

Staff and volunteers have been working around the clock, moving desks, chairs and filing cabinets from Sandy Hook Elementary, Newtown, to the former Chalk Hill Middle School in neighbouring Monroe.

Sandy Hook has been shut down indefinitely following Friday's massacre.

Lieutenant George Sinko, of Newtown Police Department, said he "would find it very difficult" for students to return to the same school but added: "We want to keep these kids together. They need to support each other."

A Newtown school employee, who wanted to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the process and because his son attended Sandy Hook, said the furniture being moved to Chalk Hill was from sections of the school not affected by the shooting rampage.

He said officials have examined the floor plans of both schools to help make the young students' secondary home as familiar as possible.

"The classrooms will be set up to be as seamless as possible, so they'll think they're walking into their old classrooms," he said.

Survivors will study at the old Chalk Hill Middle School, seven miles away

The worker added that despite some people in the town saying it was too soon to send the children back to school, he believes the sooner they are back in the classroom the better.

"My son is getting on that bus," he said. "I'll follow him to school, and when he gets off the bus I'll give him a wink. He'll be fine. They're all going to be fine."

Lieutenant Brian McCauley, a spokesman for the Monroe Police Department, said: "These kids have been through something that none of us ever, ever want to go through in our lives, and we want to make their transition back to school as easy, simple and sensitive as possible."

Officials have not determined an exact start date at Chalk Hill, but Monroe Fire Marshal William Davin said the process of making sure the school meets fire and state building codes should be completed in "a matter of days".

Representatives from the Newtown school district will make the final call on when the students will return, Lt McCauley explained.

He said police had been stationed at all schools in Monroe and that officers will be on hand once Chalk Hill opens.

Monroe resident Vicki D'Auria expressed pride in knowing that her town had reached out to aid survivors of the Sandy Hook massacre.

"I've never been more proud to live in Monroe," she said. "The fact that all those kids can now come ... they don't have to go back to that school, it's very nice."

She said her 10-year-old son, who is a fourth grader at Fawn Hollow Elementary next to Chalk Hill, is hoping he gets to make a welcome poster before the Sandy Hook children arrive.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sandy Hook Shooting: The Victims' Stories

The Sandy Hook victims have been described as "beautiful", "sweet" and "angels", most of them just six or seven when they were gunned down.

As police released a list of the names of the 20 children and seven adults killed by gunman Adam Lanza, friends and relatives have paid their tributes to those who died.

:: Jessica Rekos, 6

"Jessica loved everything about horses," her parents, Rich and Krista Rekos, said in a statement. "She devoted her free time to watching horse movies, reading horse books, drawing horses, and writing stories about horses."

When she turned 10, they promised, she could have a horse of her own. For Christmas, she asked Santa for new cowgirl boots and a hat.

Her parents described their first born in the family as "a creative, beautiful little girl who loved playing with her little brothers, Travis and Shane".

Emilie Parker, 6

They added: "She had an answer for everything, she didn't miss a trick, and she outsmarted us every time.

"We cannot imagine our life without her. We are mourning her loss, sharing our beautiful memories we have of her, and trying to help her brother Travis understand why he can't play with his best friend.

"We are devastated, and our hearts are with the other families who are grieving as we are."

:: Benjamin Wheeler, 6

Dylan Hockley, 6

Music surrounded Benjamin as he grew up in a household where both his mother and father were performers.

They left behind stage careers in New York City when they moved to Newtown with Benjamin and his older brother Nate.

"We knew we wanted a piece of lawn, somewhere quiet, somewhere with good schools," Francine Wheeler told the Newtown Bee.

The family are members of Trinity Episcopal Church, whose website noted that Nate, also a student at Sandy Hook Elementary School, was not harmed in the shooting.

:: Caroline Previdi, 6

Charlotte Bacon, 6

People who knew Caroline have added their condolences to the Facebook page RIP Caroline Previdi. Many of them described her as "precious" and a "little angel".

:: Olivia Engel, 6

Olivia had been due to play an angel in the nativity play at her local church. "Now she's an angel up in heaven," Monsignor Robert Weiss said.

Dan Merton, a long-time family friend, described Olivia as a "teacher's pet" and said that she had "perfect manners".

"Her only crime," he said, "is being a wiggly, smiley six-year-old".

Ana Marquez-Greene, 6

:: Emilie Parker, 6

Emilie was studying Portuguese with her father, Robert, before school on the morning she died. He had left after hearing her say "good morning" in the language.

He said: "She was beautiful. She was blond. She was always smiling" and that "I'm so blessed to be her dad".

He said he would now struggle to explain to her two siblings, aged three and four, what had happened.

Noah Pozner, 6

:: Dylan Hockley, 6

Dylan was born in Hampshire but had been living in Newtown since 2011 with his mother Nicole, father Ian and older brother, Jake.

The family lives in a house opposite the home in which Adam Lanza, the killer, lived with his mother Nancy.

Mrs Hockley, an American, had recently told the local newspaper that she was happy with life in the community and said: "Newtown is a wonderful place to live."

Grace McDonnell, 7

Family friend, Theresa Moretti, said: "Dylan was a lovely boy. He had dimples and blue eyes and a mischievous grin."

:: Charlotte Bacon, 6

When she went to school on Friday, Charlotte had begged her mother to wear a new pink dress and boots that were supposed to be for Christmas.

It was the first and last time she would wear the outfit.

Chase Kowalski, 7

Her parents, JoAnn and Joel, had lived in Newton for around five years with Charlotte and her older brother, Guy, who also attended Sandy Hook but was not injured in the shooting.

Charlotte's uncle said that she could "light up the room for anyone."

:: Ana Marquez-Greene, 6

Ana had only been at the school for a few months after her family moved to the area so her father, the Canadian jazz musician, Jimmy Greene, could take up a job as a music professor.

Catherine Hubbard, 6

Described by a family friend as "vivacious and affectionate" Ana had been the subject of a song on her father's 2009 album Mission Statement, called Ana Grace.

Ana attended the school with her older brother, who was not hurt in the shooting.

:: Noah Pozner, 6

Noah Pozner attended Sandy Hook school with his twin sister. He was killed, she survived the attack, as did his older sister.

Jesse Lewis, 6

Their mother, a nurse at the local hospital, completely broke down when she learned the news of her son's death.

Rabbi Shaul Praver, of Congregation Adath Israel, told MSNBC: "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and his little body could not endure so many bullets like that."

:: Grace McDonnell, 7

Described by her babysitter as a "beautiful, sweet girl", Grace lived so close to her killer Adam Lanza's house the family can nearly see it from their windows.

James Mattioli, 6

Neighbours say Grace, whose mother Lynn, 45, is a housewife, and father Christopher, 49, is a business executive, was "utterly adorable".

She has an 11-year-old brother, Jack.

:: Chase Kowalski, 7

Daniel Barden, 7

Chase was looking forward to Christmas, he told a neighbour he was hoping to get his two front teeth back.

The first-grade student, who has two older sisters, loved being outside and playing on a slide or in the family's swimming pool.

He had completed and won his first mini-triathlon. His neighbour, Kevin Grimes, said: "You couldn't think of a better child."

Josephine Guy, 7

:: Catherine Hubbard, 6

Catherine's parents, Jennifer and Matthew, released a statement and a picture of their daughter.

Victoria Soto, 27

In it they said: "We are greatly saddened by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Catherine Violet and our thoughts and prayers are with the other families who have been affected by this tragedy.

"We ask that you continue to pray for us and the other families who have experienced loss in this tragedy."

:: Jesse Lewis, 6

Jesse was supposed to be making gingerbread houses and his father Neil Heslin had been planning to go to Sandy Hook School to watch.

Lauren Rousseau, 30

Mr Heslin told The New York Post that his son, who was in Victoria Soto's class, was happy when he dropped him off at the school gates. "That was the last I saw of him", he said.

He was keen on horse riding and had a collection of animals he enjoyed playing with.

:: James Mattioloi, 6

James is the son of Cindy Mattioli from the upstate New York town of Sherrill.

Dawn Hochsprung, 47

The mayor, William Vineall said: "Everybody will be there for them, and our thoughts and prayers are there for them."

:: Daniel Barden, 7

Daniel was a budding athlete who was on the swim team and enjoyed playing soccer.

He was described by a family friend as "a sweet boy".

:: Josephine Guy, 7

Mary Sherlach, 56

Josephine had celebrated her seventh birthday just three days before she was gunned down by Adam Lanza.

:: Victoria Soto, 27, teacher

The teacher died a hero, putting herself between the children in her class and the gunman.

She had always wanted to be a teacher, it was her one goal. "She put those children first. That's all she ever talked about," said her friend Andrea Crowell.

Described by pupils as "really nice and funny", they fondly recalled how Miss Soto had a habit of chewing gum in class.

:: Lauren Rousseau, 30, teacher

Miss Rousseau wanted to be a teacher when she was in primary school and was thrilled to finally realise her dream when she because a full-time teacher at Sandy Hook.

She has been described as gentle but spirited and active. She planned to watch The Hobbit with her boyfriend on Friday and had baked cupcakes for a party they were to attend afterwards.

Her mother, Teresa Rousseau, said: "Lauren wanted to be a teacher from before she even went to kindergarten. We will miss her terribly and will take comfort knowing that she had achieved that dream."

:: Dawn Hochsprung, 47, principal

The head teacher was fiercely proud of her school and fiercely protective of it too.

So much so she died after lunging at the gunman Adam Lanza as he launched his attack.

She had led the 700-pupil elementary school for two years and implemented the latest teaching techniques.

Mrs Hochsprung, who had two daughters and three step daughters, also installed new safety measures there, with the mantra "safety first".

:: Mary Sherlach, 56, school psychologist

Mrs Sherlach was preparing for her retirement after 18 years at Sandy Hook School.

Married for 31 years, with two daughters, aged 25 and 28, she loved her job and was dedicated to the education of young children.

Her son-in-law, Eric Schwartz, said that she had planned to leave work early on Friday but never got the chance. She had died, he added, doing what she loved.

He said: "Mary felt like she was doing God's work, working with the children."

:: Anne Marie Murphy, 52, teacher

Her parents Hugh and Alice McGowan told Newsday their daughter was: "A happy soul. A good mother, wife and daughter. Artistic, fun-loving, witty and hardworking."              

Authorities told the couple their daughter was a hero who helped shield some of her students from the rain of bullets.

"You don't expect your daughter to be murdered," her father told the newspaper. "It happens on TV. It happens elsewhere."

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

US Shooting: Obama Visits Newtown In Mourning

President Barack Obama has told relatives of the 26 people killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School that mass shooting tragedies "must end".

Speaking at a vigil in memory of the victims, the President told an emotional audience, "Newtown, you are not alone".

He struggled to maintain his composure - and there was audible sobbing throughout the packed hall - as he read the first names of each of the 20 children killed in America's worst school shooting.

He said: "God has called them home. For those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on and make our country worthy of their memory."

Mr Obama told the audience: "I come to offer the love and cares of the nation. I'm very mindful that mere words can not match the depths of your sorrow.

"I can only hope it helps for you to know you're not alone in your grief - our world too has been torn apart ... we have wept with you."

The President paid tribute to the six adults who lost their lives when 20-year-old Adam Lanza went on a rampage through the school armed with an assault rifle.

The grief is too much for one woman at the moving service

He said: "We know when danger arrived the school staff did not flinch. They responded as we all hope we might respond in such terrifying circumstances. With courage and with love, giving their lives to protect the children in their care."

He hinted at changes to America's gun laws after the massacre, admitting: "We, as a nation, are left with hard questions."

Mr Obama also told the hall that the US is "not doing enough" to protect its children.

He said: "These tragedies have to end, and to end them we must change."

Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy told the audience the President had confessed that the day of the shootings had been the most difficult of his presidency so far.

The President has also been meeting with emergency service workers who were among the first on the scene, minutes after the shooting started.

The President listened carefully as religious leaders led the service

Susan Kalbaugh, a former employee of the school, told Sky News: "I think the expressions of kindness and comfort, and of faith, greatly help.

"Just to know we are not alone, that there are people who are thinking about us and praying for us, and grieving alongside us." 

Many residents and visitors took solace in church on Sunday.

At a packed St. Rose Catholic church, the priest's announcements included news that the Christmas pageant rehearsal would go on as planned, but without six-year-old Olivia Engel, who died before she could play the role of an angel.

Shortly before Mr Obama was due to arrive, worshippers at the church close to the school were evacuated after a reported bomb threat.

Armed police were sent but it was quickly decided that there was no danger to the public.

Makeshift memorials have appeared around the town, the largest of which sits at the end of Dickenson Drive where Sandy Hook Elementary stands.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

US Shooting: Victims Were Shot Multiple Times

US Shooting: Deadliest Massacres

Updated: 12:23pm UK, Saturday 15 December 2012

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, is among the deadliest in modern US history.

Adam Lanza, 20, killed his mother before opening fire in the elementary school killing 20 children and six adults. He then turned the gun on himself.

It is the worst school shooting in America's history and second only to the Virginia Tech massacre in terms of the country's deadliest ever attacks.

Both attacks make up a grim history of mass murders using firearms in the US.

:: Aurora, Colorado, July 20, 2012:

A masked gunman burst in on the Century 16 cinema during a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises throwing tear gas before opening fire.

He killed 12 and injured 58. James Eagan Holmes, 24, is the sole suspect and was arrested at the scene. He will appear in court in January.

:: Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas, November 5, 2009:

A 42-year-old US Army Major, serving as a psychiatrist, opened fire inside the US military base killing 13 and wounding 29 in an attack deemed an act of terrorism. Hasan was shot and captured and is paralysed from the waist down.

Before the killing he had been in touch with the late al Qaeda recruiter Anwar al Awlaki to ask whether he would be considered a martyr if he died shooting US soldiers.

:: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, April 16, 2007:

Seung-Hui Cho, 23, killed 32 and injured 17 in America's deadliest shooting. He launched two separate attacks at the campus two hours apart before killing himself.

Cho had a history of mental illness and was in therapy through his school years.

:: Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, October 2, 2006:

Charles Carl Roberts shot dead five and injured five in an attack at an Amish school. The 32-year-old dish washer at a local restaurant then killed himself.

He was driven by anger at God over the death of his premature daughter.

:: Red Lake Indian Reservation, March 21, 2005:

Sixteen-year-old Jeffrey Weise killed his grandfather and grandfather's companion before opening fire at Red Lake High School. He killed nine and injured seven, then took his own life.

He blamed years of school bullying for the attack.

:: Forth Worth, Sept 25, 1999:

Unemployed white supremacist Larry Gene Ashbrook opened fire on the congregation of Wedgwood Baptist Church, killing seven and wounding seven. He then turned the gun on himself.

Ashbrook, 47, was a member of a group that advocated killing minorities.

:: Atlanta, July 29, 1999:

Mark Orrin Barton, a trader, opened fire in two investment offices killing nine and wounding 12. He killed himself after a six-hour police manhunt.

The 44-year-old had been upset by big financial losses.

:: Columbine High School, Colorado, April 20, 1999:

Students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, opened fire on schoolmates after bombs they had planted in the cafeteria failed to go off. They killed 13 and injured 21 before killing themselves.

The students were motivated by their anger at society. Harris had a history of depression.

:: McDonald's, San Ysidro, California, July 18 1984:

Welder James Huberty walked into a McDonald's and opened fire killing 21 people and wounding 19 before being shot by a police sniper.

The 51-year-old thought society was about to collapse. When asked where he was going as he left the house for the killing, he told his wife: "hunting humans".

:: University of Texas, Austin, August 1, 1966:

Engineering student Charles Joseph Whitman, 25, opened fire on students from the 28th floor of the main campus building. He killed 13 and wounded 32 before being shot dead by a police marksman. He also killed his wife and mother.

In a note he said he was suffering irrational thoughts and wanted to relieve his wife and mother from suffering but offered no explanation for the university attack.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Obama To Attend Memorial Service In Newtown

US Shooting: Deadliest Massacres

Updated: 12:23pm UK, Saturday 15 December 2012

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, is among the deadliest in modern US history.

Adam Lanza, 20, killed his mother before opening fire in the elementary school killing 20 children and six adults. He then turned the gun on himself.

It is the worst school shooting in America's history and second only to the Virginia Tech massacre in terms of the country's deadliest ever attacks.

Both attacks make up a grim history of mass murders using firearms in the US.

:: Aurora, Colorado, July 20, 2012:

A masked gunman burst in on the Century 16 cinema during a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises throwing tear gas before opening fire.

He killed 12 and injured 58. James Eagan Holmes, 24, is the sole suspect and was arrested at the scene. He will appear in court in January.

:: Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas, November 5, 2009:

A 42-year-old US Army Major, serving as a psychiatrist, opened fire inside the US military base killing 13 and wounding 29 in an attack deemed an act of terrorism. Hasan was shot and captured and is paralysed from the waist down.

Before the killing he had been in touch with the late al Qaeda recruiter Anwar al Awlaki to ask whether he would be considered a martyr if he died shooting US soldiers.

:: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, April 16, 2007:

Seung-Hui Cho, 23, killed 32 and injured 17 in America's deadliest shooting. He launched two separate attacks at the campus two hours apart before killing himself.

Cho had a history of mental illness and was in therapy through his school years.

:: Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, October 2, 2006:

Charles Carl Roberts shot dead five and injured five in an attack at an Amish school. The 32-year-old dish washer at a local restaurant then killed himself.

He was driven by anger at God over the death of his premature daughter.

:: Red Lake Indian Reservation, March 21, 2005:

Sixteen-year-old Jeffrey Weise killed his grandfather and grandfather's companion before opening fire at Red Lake High School. He killed nine and injured seven, then took his own life.

He blamed years of school bullying for the attack.

:: Forth Worth, Sept 25, 1999:

Unemployed white supremacist Larry Gene Ashbrook opened fire on the congregation of Wedgwood Baptist Church, killing seven and wounding seven. He then turned the gun on himself.

Ashbrook, 47, was a member of a group that advocated killing minorities.

:: Atlanta, July 29, 1999:

Mark Orrin Barton, a trader, opened fire in two investment offices killing nine and wounding 12. He killed himself after a six-hour police manhunt.

The 44-year-old had been upset by big financial losses.

:: Columbine High School, Colorado, April 20, 1999:

Students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, opened fire on schoolmates after bombs they had planted in the cafeteria failed to go off. They killed 13 and injured 21 before killing themselves.

The students were motivated by their anger at society. Harris had a history of depression.

:: McDonald's, San Ysidro, California, July 18 1984:

Welder James Huberty walked into a McDonald's and opened fire killing 21 people and wounding 19 before being shot by a police sniper.

The 51-year-old thought society was about to collapse. When asked where he was going as he left the house for the killing, he told his wife: "hunting humans".

:: University of Texas, Austin, August 1, 1966:

Engineering student Charles Joseph Whitman, 25, opened fire on students from the 28th floor of the main campus building. He killed 13 and wounded 32 before being shot dead by a police marksman. He also killed his wife and mother.

In a note he said he was suffering irrational thoughts and wanted to relieve his wife and mother from suffering but offered no explanation for the university attack.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More