Saturday Dec. 14 marks the one-year anniversary of the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Conn. Last year, just before Christmas gunman Adam Lanza walked into the school killing 26 people before taking his own life. Lanza murdered six adults and 20 children no older than seven in an event that rocked a nation and added fuel to the gun debate fire. Following the tragedy at Sandy Hook President Obama would head a campaign to make it harder for people to purchase large caliber guns without a through background check.
The president worked with the families of the Sandy Hook victims to try and get his gun control legislation pushed through Congress. Ultimately Congress would refuse the legislation. The world reacted in shock, disbelief and horror when they learned of the 26 innocent lives that were taken on Dec. 14, 2012. The families of those who died that day are remembering their loved ones today with somber memorials and a request that no media outlets attempt to film the memorials.
Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis survived Lanza's rampage by hiding with her first grade class in a bathroom. The teacher spoke to Reuters saying, "There's no guidebook for this, not at all...For me I have moved forward. But I will never move on." Roig-DeBellis and many of the victim's families planned to be out of town on the anniversary day. "The community needs this time to be alone and to reflect on our past year in personal ways, without a camera or a microphone," said First Selectman Pat Llodra at a news conference earlier this week.
When the news of the Sandy Hook shooting was broke President Obama went on TV to speak to the American public and try to make sense of the day's events. He also appeared at a candle light vigil for those who died. Here are five memorable quotes from the president in remembrance of those who died one-year ago today. (1)"Scripture tells us 'do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that for out weights them all."
(2)"We gather here in memory of twenty beautiful children and six remarkable adults. They lost their lives in a school that could have been any school; in a quiet town full of good and decent people that could be any town in America." (3) "I am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. I can only hope it helps for you to know that you're not alone in your grief; that our world too has been torn apart...that all across this land of ours we have wept with you."
(4)"As a community you've inspired us Newtown. In the face of indescribable violence, in the face of unconscionable evil, you've looked out for each other, and you've cared for one another, and you've loved one another. This is how Newtown will be remembered. And with time and God's grace, that love will see you through." (5)" Since I've been President, this is the fourth time we have come together to comfort a grieving community torn apart by a mass shooting. The fourth time we've hugged survivors. The fourth time we've consoled the families of victims."
On Friday Dec. 13 two students at Arapahoe High School located in a Denver suburb were injured when a fellow student walked into the school looking for one of his teachers. The gunman has since been indentifies as Karl Halverson Pierson an 18-year-old who attended the school. Pierson had with him a shotgun and two Molotov cocktails. After wounding his fellow classmates Pierson took his own life.
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