Reports: Gunman kills 29, injures 3 at Connecticut elementary school < br />

2012-12-15 02:46:27 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT (BNO NEWS) -- As many as 29 people, including nearly two dozen children, are believed to have been killed after a gunman opened fire Friday at an elementary school in western Connecticut, local media quoted sources as saying. The shooter was also found dead.

The incident happened at around 9:30 a.m. local time when a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, a town about 7 miles (11 kilometers) east of Danbury. State police confirmed there was a shooting involving multiple fatalities, but no figures were released.

"The entire school was searched, that was accomplished," Connecticut State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said at a news conference. "A staging area was set up. Students and staff were put into that staging area, and soon thereafter the children and staffers were reunited with their parents and their loved ones."

Vance said several people were killed, including students and staff members, but he declined to provide specific figures. "There is no information relative to that (the number of victims) that is being released at this time until we made complete and proper notifications," he said.

Hearst Connecticut Newspapers, citing a source with knowledge of the investigation, reported that at least 29 people, including 22 children, were found dead at the scene. The figure could not be independently verified by BNO News. CBS News earlier said at least 27 people were killed, including the gunman and eight adults.

State police confirmed the gunman was found dead inside the school building and said the scene was secure. A federal law enforcement source identified the gunman as 24-year-old Ryan Lanza, whose mother was a teacher at the school and who was also among those killed. The suspect's father was said to have been found dead at their residence in New Jersey.

In addition to those killed, officials confirmed three patients were transported to Danbury Hospital, although their conditions were not immediately known. "Out of abundance of caution and not because of any direct threat Danbury Hospital is under lockdown," New Milford Hospital said in a statement. "This allows us simply to focus on the important work at hand."

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-12-15

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