27 killed in Connecticut school shooting, including 20 children

Newtown - Connecticut state police are responding to a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, 50 miles southwest of Hartford. Twenty children and the school's principal have been killed in Friday morning's shooting.

AP writes 27 people have been killed in total, and the shooter has been allegedly shot dead. At 27 dead, this shooting is the second deadliest shooting in U.S history. The principal and school psychologist are apparently among the dead, along with the shooter's mother and brother, CNN TV reports. A teacher told CNN around 100 shots were fired. Many of the shootings took place in a kindergarten classroom, sources said. The dead shooter has been identified as Adam Lanza, 20, who stormed into his mother's kindergarten class at Sandy Hook, shooting her and the children inside. His brother Ryan Lanza has been taken into questioning. Video of personnel amassing to assist the school is spreading across the Web, such as this notable post in the Vancouver Sun. "The ages of the children who were killed were between 5 and 10 years old, President Obama said during a nationally televised address during which he wiped tears from his eyes," the New York Times adds.

With permission by Samaia Hernandez, of the Hartford Courant (twitpic)

The lineup of cars on the road leading up to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut

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The Hartford Courant reports that state police say that one shooter is dead. There are unconfirmed reports of multiple gunmen. At least three people were wounded and are in "very serious" condition at a hospital in Danbury, Connecticut, that town's mayor, Mark Boughton told CNN. A gunman was reported in the school's main office shortly after 9:40 a.m. on Friday, where one person reportedly had "numerous gunshot wounds." Groups of students, some crying and holding hands, were seen being led from the school. CNN reports some students had to run past the shot bodies of the principal and psychologist. The Associated Press reports that school officials have locked down the premises to ensure the safety of students and staff. The shooter is dead, CNN writes, and two weapons have been recovered from the scene of the shooter's death. "It's not known whether police killed the alleged shooter or he took his own life. The source says one weapon recovered is a Glock and the other is a Sig Sauer," CNN adds. An official said shooter Adam Lanza is dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. President Obama addressed the nation this afternoon, saying "nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, but as fellow Americans, we can offer our hand to those in need and provide what support we can." At one point, he choked up and began to cry. Updates will be added as the day progresses