The gunman who killed more than two dozen people, most of them children, at an elementary school in a quiet Connecticut town forced his way into the building.
Adam Lanza, 20, shot his mother Nancy at their home, then drove to the school in her car and opened fire with two semi-automatic handguns and an assault rifle.
Minutes later 28 people were dead - 20 children and six adults at the school, the gunman's mother at home, and Lanza himself.
Police said yesterday they had found evidence at the school and at the house. "Our investigators did produce some very, very good evidence … that they will be able to use in hopefully painting the complete picture as to how, and more importantly, why, this occurred," said Connecticut state police spokesman Lieutenant Paul Vance.
He said a woman who survived Friday's shooting will play an important role in the investigation.
The bodies of the dead were removed from the Sandy Hook Elementary School overnight and by early yesterday morning the medical examiner completed the formal identification of the victims.
Police asked the media to allow the families of the victims to "maintain solitude".
Details of the school massacre, the second deadliest in American history, began to emerge yesterday from witnesses.
Victoria Soto, a first-grade teacher in a classroom next to the one where most of the children were killed, hid her pupils in a bathroom. Moments later Lanza entered the room and, finding only Soto, shot her dead.
Brendan Murray, 9, was in the gym with his fourth-grade class when they heard loud bangs. "We thought that someone was knocking something over. And we heard yelling and we heard gunshots. We heard lots of gunshots," the boy said. "We heard someone say, 'Put your hands up!' … I heard, 'Don't shoot!' We had to go into the closet in the gym."
A first-grade teacher who had barricaded her students in her classroom's bathroom said she thought the gunman was coming for them next. "I wanted them to know that someone loved them and I wanted that to be one of the last things they heard, not the gunfire in the hallway," she said.
Police have not been able to identify a motive or even what Lanza's connection to the school was. Reports had identified his mother as a teacher there, but investigators have found no record that Nancy Lanza worked at Sandy Hook.
The weapons used in the shootings are believed to have been registered to Lanza's mother, who was found dead from gunshot wounds to the face. Sources described her as a "gun enthusiast said to be strict and very rigid".
There were reports that Lanza had a history of mental illness and was described by former classmates as a shy young man.
A former classmate, Andrew Lapple, who played Little League baseball with Lanza, said he "never really talked" and was a "tech geek".
"He was always carrying around his laptop holding on to it real tight," Mr Lapple said. "He walked down the halls against the wall almost like he was afraid of people. He was definitely kind of strange but you'd never think he'd do something like this."
Barack Obama addressed the country again yesterday after giving a statement on Friday in which he struggled to maintain his composure and wiped away tears.
"I know there is not a parent in America who does not feel the same overwhelming grief that I do," Mr Obama said.
The president also called for putting aside politics to address the recurring horror of gun violence in America.
While the president did not call for any specific action, the latest tragedy sparked a discussion in the news and social media about reform of America's gun laws. There have been at least 13 mass shootings in the country this year.
"This is America's Dunblane," the CNN host Piers Morgan wrote on Twitter. The March 1996 school shooting in a small Scottish town killed 16 children and their teacher. "We banned handguns in Britain after that appalling tragedy. What will the US do? Inaction not an option."
Statements of grief and disbelief came from around the world yesterday.
In a letter to the Roman Catholic church in Newtown that was read at a vigil there on Friday, the Vatican said Pope Benedict XVI conveyed "his heartfelt grief and the assurance of his closeness in prayer to the victims and their families".
The British prime minister David Cameron said: "My thoughts are with the injured and those who have lost loved ones. It is heartbreaking to think of those who have had their children robbed from them at such a young age, when they had so much life ahead of them."
The Philippines president Benigno Aquino said he and the Filipino people stood beside the United States "with bowed heads, yet in deep admiration over the manner in which the American people have reached out to comfort the afflicted, and to search for answers that will give meaning and hope to this grim event".
In Baghdad, Hassan Sabah, a shop owner, said: "We feel sorry for the victims and their families. This tragic incident shows there is no violence-free society in the world, even in the western and non-Muslim countries."
tkhan@thenational.ae
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20Profile
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STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
On racial profiling at airports
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2)
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Sting & Shaggy
44/876
(Interscope)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
