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Today's Shooting Worse Than Columbine

Death toll in Conn. school tragedy 2nd worst in US history

By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 14, 2012 1:42 PM CST

(Newser) – With 27 believed dead, NBC News puts today's horrific Connecticut school shooting in the context of others our country has weathered, and it's as devastating as it seems: It's worse than Columbine. The Sandy Hook Elementary shooting is the second worst in our nation's history, topped only by Virginia Tech and its 32 fatalities in 2007; 13 people died in 1999's Columbine massacre. One parent with a son at the 600-student school described the experience of waiting to see if his child was OK as "the most terrifying moment a parent can imagine." Seeing him "was the greatest relief in my existence." Click to read the latest on the massacre.

A mother runs with her children as police above canvass homes in the area following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.
A mother runs with her children as police above canvass homes in the area following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.   (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
A woman waits to hear about her sister, a teacher, following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
A woman waits to hear about her sister, a teacher, following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.   (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Parents leave a staging area after being reunited with their children following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Parents leave a staging area after being reunited with their children following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.   (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
In this photo provided by the Newtown Bee, Connecticut State Police lead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School.
In this photo provided by the Newtown Bee, Connecticut State Police lead children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School.   (AP Photo/Newtown Bee, Shannon Hicks)
This satellite image provided by Google shows the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
This satellite image provided by Google shows the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.   (AP Photo/Google)
Law enforcement canvass the area following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
Law enforcement canvass the area following a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.   (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 117 comments
Tology
Dec 14, 2012 10:11 PM CST
Such a sad day.  Prayers to all the kids, teachers, and their families.
Plato
Dec 14, 2012 8:06 PM CST
Hey Blue, this homicidal maniac did not have an "automatic weapon".  He had semi automatic weapons.  There is a difference between automatic and semi automatic weapons.  An automatic weapon  fires repeatly as long as you hold the trigger down and is illegal to buy and own in our country. A semi automatic gun fires repeatly each time you pull the trigger.  A semi automatic weapon is one more deadly weapon, killers don't need automatic weapons.  Automatic guns are military weapons for spraying the battle field and every thing else because you don't know where the enemy is and so just put as many bullets as fast as possible out there.
elderban
Dec 14, 2012 6:06 PM CST
Does anyone think "gun control" would have actually saved these children? No. Does anyone think that someone who is hell-bent on killing someone or a group of people is going to give a shit whether or not its illegal for them to carry a gun? No. And what if he had burned down the school? Do we blame matches and gasoline? Would we be looking to ban gas an other combustibles? What if he used easily purchased chemicals and set off a cyanide gas bomb in the school and killed everyone? Do we blame the chemicals? Are we going to ban the purchase of chemicals? Or what if he had run over the children with a car? Do we blame the car? Are we going to ban cars? People intent on harming others are going to do so whether they use a gun, a bomb, a car, fire, gas or whatever. You can "ban" whatever they use, but they're still going to do what they intend on doing, just in another way and they aren't going to care whether it's legal or not.

 
Connecticut • school shooting • Sandy Hook Elementary School • Newtown • Connecticut school shooting

 
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