On December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary School, located in Newtown, CT, was tragically attacked. The shooter Adam Lanza killed 20 students and six teachers. This event was a tragedy for the families, turning their whole world upside down. 

The first victim was Nancy Lanza, Adam Lanza’s mother. Nancy purchased many guns that Adam would use later. He shot her in their home, then drove his mother’s car to Sandy Hook Elementary School where he broke into the school by shooting the window. 

Lanza was then confronted by Sandy Hook School principal Dawn Hochsprung, 47, and Mary Sherlach, 56, a school psychologist, both of whom he shot and killed. The gunfire was a sign for teachers to go into lockdown protocol and to secure the safety of themselves and their students. Many teachers would barricade the door with desks and chairs or would put themselves at risk and barricade the door with their own bodies.

Lanza entered the classrooms of Victoria Soto and Lauren Rousseau, killing them both along with a combined 20 students. Others who were also killed included Anne Marie Murphy, 52, a special education aide, and behavioral therapist Rachel Davino, 29. Many of the adults died trying to protect students.

Eight years after the Sandy Hook school shooting, there are many discussions about creating a memorial for the victims. The memorial is currently being constructed and will be down the street from where the shooting took place. The memorial will be finished by the end of December 2022, the 10 year anniversary of the shooting. 

After the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting, school shootings and school threats began to rise, causing more fear within students and their families. High profile examples include the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High school in Parkland, Florida on February 14, 2018 and the more recent shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan on November 30, 2021.