Police - Shooting in Elementary School in Connecticut, Gunman Dead
[UPDATE 2:56 p.m. ET] Some earlier reports indicated two gunmen were involved but police mentioned only one gunman, who is dead, during the afternoon press conference and said the public is no longer in danger.
[UPDATE 1:36 p.m. ET] The latest death toll in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting is 27, according to The Associated Press.
A Connecticut school shooting has caused schools within the district to be locked down as a safety precaution Friday.
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One of the shooters is reported to be dead, while another may still be at large, according to ABC reports. State troopers arrived at the scene and are continuing to assist local police with the lockdown.
The Newtown, Conn., school shooting has resulted in multiple injuries, one of them a teacher, according to The Courrant. The incident occurred at about 9:40 a.m. Friday morning at Sandy Hook, with "numerous gunshot wounds" inflicting various people inside, police stated.
"Due to reports of a shooting as yet unconfirmed, the district is taking preventive measures by putting all schools in lockdown until we ensure the safety of all students and staff," Newton Public School District secretary of superintendent Kathy June said in a statement.
Parents were initially told to stay home when the horrific incident was first reported.
"Breaking: According to the #Newtown Emergency Director, all parents should stay by their phone. Do not go to school," WFSB Channel 3 News first tweeted. Afterwards, though, students from the school were directed to a staging area where parents could come pick them up.
Students and teachers were seen crying and holding hands while being led to staging areas, The Courant reported.
All public and private schools in the surrounding area have been locked down, with afternoon kindergarten cancelled, and mid-day bus runs cancelled as well.
Currently, there is no information as to the identity of the suspect(s) or the injured.
