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{{Infobox criminal
#REDIRECT [[Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting#Perpetrator]]
| name = Adam Lanza
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Adam Peter Lanza
| occupation =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1992|4|22}}
| birth_place = [[Kingston, New Hampshire]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|12|14|1992|4|22}}
| death_place = [[Newtown, Connecticut]], U.S.
| death_cause = Self-inflicted gunshot
| nationality = American
| parents = Peter Lanza (father)<br/>Nancy Lanza (mother)
| date = December 14, 2012
| time = {{Circa|9:35&nbsp;am|9:40&nbsp;am}}
| targets = Students and staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School
| locations = Newtown, Connecticut, U.S.
| fatalities = 27
| injuries = 2
| motive = Inconclusive
}}

'''Adam Peter Lanza''' (April 22, 1992&nbsp;– December 14, 2012) was an American [[mass murder]]er who committed the [[Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting]], the deadliest [[mass shooting]] at a high school or grade school in U.S. history and the second-deadliest mass shooting by a single person in U.S. history, after the 2007 [[Virginia Tech shooting]]s. Lanza killed 20 students, six teachers and his own mother at their home, before committing suicide.<ref name=Effron121214>{{cite news |title=Mass School Shootings: A History |author=Effron, Lauren |url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/mass-school-shootings-history/story?id=17975571 |publisher=ABC News |date=December 14, 2012 |accessdate=April 11, 2014}}</ref><ref name="NYTimesShyIntelligent"/> He did not have a criminal record at the time of the shooting.<ref name="ID"/><ref name="EveningSun"/><ref name="Connecticut shooting suspect was honors student"/>

==Education==
Lanza attended Sandy Hook Elementary School for a brief time.<ref name="Sandy Hook killer was a former student at school"/> Afterward, he attended [[St. Rose of Lima Church (Newtown, Connecticut)|St. Rose of Lima Catholic School]] in Newtown,<ref name="ktva"/> and then [[Newtown High School (Connecticut)|Newtown High School]], where he was an [[honors student]].<ref name="NPRYost12-15-12"/> He was taken out of high school at the age of sixteen, and began attending [[Western Connecticut State University]] shortly thereafter.<ref name=FRONTLINE /> Subsequent to his removal from high school, Lanza was [[home-schooled]] by his mother and father, and earned a [[General Educational Development|GED]].<ref name="huffingtonpost"/> Lanza's aunt said his mother removed him from the Newtown public school system because she was unhappy with the [[Newtown Public Schools|school district]]'s plans for her son.<ref name="Adam Lanza's Mom Pulled Him Out of School: Relative"/> He attended [[Western Connecticut State University]] in 2008 and 2009.<ref name="huffingtonpost"/> Students and teachers who knew him in high school described Lanza as "intelligent, but nervous and fidgety". He avoided attracting attention and was uncomfortable socializing. He is not known to have had any close friends in school.<ref name="NYTimesShyIntelligent"/>

==Behavioral problems==
Lanza was diagnosed with a [[sensory processing disorder|sensory-integration disorder]] at the start of elementary school. When he was thirteen he was diagnosed by a psychiatrist with [[Asperger syndrome]], according to his father, Peter Lanza. Adam also had [[obsessive-compulsive disorder]], being referred in October 2006 for treatment for his conditions, when behavioral-based therapy and the antidepressant [[Citalopram|Celexa]] were prescribed. Following objections from Nancy Lanza, the treatment was discontinued after four visits, and Lanza stopped taking the medication.<ref name="yale">{{cite news|title=Sandy Hook shooter treated at Yale|url=http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2014/01/22/sand-hook-shooter-treated-at-yale/|accessdate=June 23, 2014|work=Yale Daily News|date=January 22, 2014}}</ref> In a 2013 interview, Peter Lanza said he suspected his son might have also suffered from undiagnosed [[schizophrenia]] in addition to his other conditions. Lanza said that family members might have missed signs of the onset of schizophrenia and psychotic behavior during his son's adolescence because they mistakenly attributed his odd behavior and increasing isolation to Asperger syndrome.<ref name=FRONTLINE>{{cite news|title=Raising Adam Lanza|url=http://video.pbs.org/video/2336615746/|accessdate=December 11, 2013|work=Frontline|publisher=PBS|date=February 19, 2013}}</ref><ref name="NewYorker">{{cite news|title=The Reckoning|url=http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2014/03/17/140317fa_fact_solomon|accessdate=March 10, 2014|work=The New Yorker|publisher=New Yorker|date=March 17, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Falco"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Goodwin|first=Liz|url=http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/photos-details-emerge-newtown-mass-shooter-adam-lanza-124951161.html |title=New photos, details emerge of Newtown mass shooter Adam Lanza &#124; The Lookout |publisher=Yahoo! News |date=February 19, 2013 |accessdate=February 19, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/adam-lanza-diagnosed-sensory-integration-disorder-18530509 |title=Adam Lanza Diagnosed With Sensory Integration Disorder &#124; Video |publisher=ABC News |date=February 18, 2013 |accessdate=February 19, 2013}}</ref> Because of concerns that published accounts of Lanza's autism could result in a backlash against others with the condition, [[Autism rights movement|autism advocates]] campaigned to clarify that autism is a [[Neurodevelopmental disorder|brain-related developmental]] disorder and not a [[mental illness]].<ref name="Autism backlash"/> The predatory aggression demonstrated by Lanza in the shooting is generally not seen in the autistic population.<ref name="Afraid of Autism"/>

Sensory-processing disorder does not have official status by the medical community as a formal diagnosis but is frequently one of the characteristics of autism.<ref name="spd">{{cite web|title=Newtown Shooter Lanza Had Sensory Processing Disorder|url=http://abpcnews.go.com/Health/newtown-shooter-adam-lanza-sensory-processing-disorder-controversial/story?id=18532645|publisher=ABC News|accessdate=February 20, 2013}}</ref> Kathleen A. Koenig, a nurse at the [[Yale Child Study Center|Yale Child Studies Center]], said Lanza had symptoms of [[obsessive-compulsive disorder]] because he frequently washed his hands and changed his socks 20 times a day, to the point where his mother did three loads of laundry a day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/newtown-shooting-police-file-101561.html |title=Police release documents on Newtown massacre |publisher=Politico.com |date=December 27, 2013 |accessdate=January 14, 2014}}</ref> In addition, he would sometimes go through a box of tissues in one day because he could not touch a doorknob with his bare hand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/adam-lanza-newtown-school-shooter-remains-enigma-despite-files-1.6684722 |title=Adam Lanza, Newtown school shooter, remains enigma despite files |work=Newsday |accessdate=December 29, 2013}}</ref>

Lanza was fascinated with mass shootings, most notably the [[Columbine High School massacre]] and the [[Northern Illinois University shooting|Northern Illinois University 2008 shooting]]. He did not allow anybody in his bedroom (the windows of which he had taped over with black plastic garbage bags to block out sunlight), refused to have a Christmas tree in the house, and would not eat his food unless it was arranged in a particular way on his plate.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/25/justice/sandy-hook-shooting-report/ |title=Sandy Hook killer Adam Lanza took motive to his grave |publisher=CNN |accessdate=December 29, 2013 |deadurl=yes |date=November 26, 2013}} {{Dead link|date=April 2014|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> He had also chosen to cut off contact with both his father and brother in the two years before the shooting and at one point communicated with his mother, who lived in the same house, only by email. A document entitled "Selfish," about the inherent selfishness of women, was found on Lanza's computer after his death.<ref name="NewYorker"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/sandy-hook-report-inside-gunman-adam-lanzas-bedroom/story?id=21009111 |title=Sandy Hook Report: Inside Gunman Adam Lanza's Bedroom |publisher=ABC News |date=November 25, 2013 |accessdate=December 29, 2013}}</ref>

==Physical condition==
According to a report issued by the Office of the Child Advocate in Connecticut in November 2014, Lanza may have suffered from [[Anorexia (symptom)|anorexia]] as a teenager. A February 2008 medical note stated that he was around five foot ten inches tall and weighed 112 pounds.<ref>{{Cite report |date=21 November 2014 |title=Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School |url=http://www.ct.gov/oca/lib/oca/sandyhook11212014.pdf |page=71 |accessdate=28 November 2014 |quote=The record notes that he was 112 pounds and almost 5 feet, 10 inches tall, suggesting possible anorexia at this time.}}</ref> At the time of his death, he was found to be anorexic to the point of malnutrition and resultant brain damage, with a height of six feet and weight of 112 pounds.<ref>{{Cite report |date=21 November 2014 |title=Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School |url=http://www.ct.gov/oca/lib/oca/sandyhook11212014.pdf |page=8 |accessdate=28 November 2014 |quote=AL was anorexic at the time of death, measuring 6 feet tall and weighing only 112 pounds.}}</ref>

==Reported 2011 phone call==
In January 2014, the ''[[Daily News (New York)|New York Daily News]]'' reported that Lanza had made a phone call to a college radio station in [[Oregon]] in December 2011, in which he used the name "Greg" and compared a teenage mall shooter to [[Travis (chimpanzee)|Travis]] the chimpanzee. An audio recording of the call obtained by the newspaper was said to contain Lanza's voice by two of his former high school classmates. Lanza is also said to have discussed the possibility of going on to the radio show in an instant messaging conversation, in which he had the username "Smiggles". Danbury State Attorney Stephen Sedensky said "Adam Lanza may have called a radio station, but I do not specifically know whether or not that is Adam Lanza on the audiotape".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/exclusive-lanza-twisted-call-radio-station-article-1.1580984 |title=Adam Lanza calls in radio station a year before Sandy Hook shooting and gives bizarre interview|publisher=[[Daily News (New York)]] |date=January 16, 2014| accessdate=January 17, 2014}}</ref>

==Nancy Lanza==
Following her divorce from Adam's father, a corporate executive, Nancy Lanza was supported by [[alimony]] payments.<ref name="Connecticut school shooting: Troubled life of Adam Lanza, a fiercely intelligent killer"/><ref name="Father of Newtown shooter lives in Stamford"/><ref name="Peter Lanza Statement: Father Of Adam Lanza Says, 'We Too Are Asking Why'"/> A relative commented that she did not have to work because the divorce settlement had left her "very well off".<ref name="nancy_lanza">{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/15/us/connecticut-lanza-family-profile/|publisher=CNN|title=Adam Lanza's family: Mom liked parlor games, guns; dad, a tax exec, remarried|last1=Martinez|first1=Michael|last2=Ariosto|first2=David|date=December 16, 2012|accessdate=December 26, 2012}}</ref> Initial reports that Nancy Lanza had worked as a volunteer at the Sandy Hook Elementary School were denied by the school superintendent on December 15, 2012.<ref name="nancy_lanza_school">{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_22200174/profile-nancy-lanza-mother-conn-school-gunman|work=The Denver Post|title=Nancy Lanza, mother of Conn. school gunman, was "big, big gun fan"|last1=Flegenheimer|first1=Matt|last2=Somaiya|first2=Ravi|date=December 15, 2012|accessdate=October 10, 2013}}</ref> In December 2013, the release of documents related to the case included a card found at Nancy Lanza's home dating from 1999, which read "Dear Mrs. Lanza, Thank you for being such a special volunteer. The children achieved a most successful year with the dedication from your active involvement."

Her sister-in-law described Nancy Lanza as a "gun enthusiast who owned at least a dozen firearms".<ref name="cbsarsenal12-16-12"/><ref name="NYBankoff"/><ref name="Investigators look for insight into Newtown gunman's mind"/><ref name="Survivalists"/> She often took her two sons to a local shooting range and had them learn to shoot.<ref name="Connecticut school shooting: Troubled life of Adam Lanza, a fiercely intelligent killer"/><ref name="nydailynews2" /> Peter Lanza said he does not believe Nancy Lanza feared her son Adam. She did not confide any fear of Adam to her sister or to her best friend; she slept with her bedroom door unlocked and she kept guns in the house where she lived with Adam.<ref name="NewYorker"/>

==References==
{{reflist|2|refs=
<ref name="NYTimesShyIntelligent">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/nyregion/adam-lanza-an-enigma-who-is-now-identified-as-a-mass-killer.html?smid=tw-share&pagewanted=all |title=A Gunman, Recalled as Intelligent and Shy, Who Left Few Footprints in Life |first=David M |last=Halbfinger|date=December 14, 2012|work=The New York Times|accessdate=December 14, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="Connecticut shooting suspect was honors student">{{cite news |first1=Pete |last1=Yost |first2=Jason |last2=Keyser |url= http://www.boston.com/news/education/2012/12/14/conn-school-shooting-suspect-was-son-teacher/iElPLevAl8rYwjOXcy1cMK/singlepage.html |date=December 14, 2012|title=Connecticut shooting suspect was honors student |newspaper=[[Boston Globe]] |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=December 15, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="Peter Lanza Statement: Father Of Adam Lanza Says, 'We Too Are Asking Why'">{{cite news|title=Peter Lanza Statement: Father Of Adam Lanza Says, 'We Too Are Asking Why'|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/15/peter-lanza-statement-adam-lanza_n_2308744.html |accessdate=December 16, 2012|newspaper=Huffington Post|date=December 15, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="ID">{{cite news|first=Miguel |last=Llanos|title=Authorities ID gunman who killed 27 in elementary school massacre|url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/14/15911025-authorities-id-gunman-who-killed-27-in-elementary-school-massacre?lite |publisher=[[NBC News]]|agency=Associated Press|accessdate=December 14, 2012|date=December 14, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="EveningSun">{{cite news |first1=Susan |last1=Misur |first2=Angi |last2=Carter |first3=Jenn |last3=Smith |url=http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_22195195/adam-lanzas-family-seemed-like-normal-family |date=December 14, 2012 |title=Adam Lanza's family seemed like normal family, neighbors say |newspaper=The Evening Sun |accessdate=December 15, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="ktva">{{cite web |last=Miller |first=John |url=http://www.ktva.com/home/outbound-xml-feeds/The-Brief-Enigmatic-Life-of-Mass-Murderer-Adam-Lanza-183711201.html |title=The Brief, Enigmatic Life of Mass-Murderer Adam Lanza |publisher=KTVA |location=Anchorage, Alaska |date=December 16, 2012 |accessdate=December 19, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="NPRYost12-15-12">{{cite news |last=Yost |first=Pete |last2=Keyser |first2=Jason |title=Correction: Conn school shooting-suspect story |agency=Associated Press |publisher=NPR |url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=167291334 |date=December 15, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="huffingtonpost">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/adam-lanza-college-courses_n_2315431.html |title=Adam Lanza Took Western Connecticut State University Courses When He Was 16 |work=Huffington Post |date=December 17, 2012 |accessdate=December 19, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="Falco">{{cite news | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/17/health/connecticut-shooting-autism/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 | title=Groups: Autism not to blame for violence | date=December 17, 2012 | publisher=CNN | accessdate=December 17, 2012 | last=Falco |first=Miriam}}</ref>

<ref name="cbsarsenal12-16-12">{{cite news|title=Friends: Newtown gunman's mother home-schooled son, kept arsenal of guns|url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/12/16/friends-newtown-gunmans-mother-home-schooled-son-kept-arsenal-of-guns/|publisher=CBS News |date=December 16, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="NYBankoff">{{cite news |last=Bankoff |first=Caroline |title=Newtown Shooter Adam Lanza's Mother Was an Avid Gun Collector |work=New York |date=December 2012 |url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2012/12/adam-lanzas-mother-was-an-avid-gun-collector.html |accessdate=December 16, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="Survivalists">{{cite web|url=http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/survivalists-worry-preppers-scapegoated-newtown-shooting-213541985.html|publisher=Yahoo! News|title=Survivalists worry 'preppers' will be scapegoated for Newtown shooting|last=Goodwin|first=Liz|date=December 19, 2012|accessdate=December 19, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="nydailynews2">{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/conn-gunman-learned-shoot-mom-article-1.1220893 |title=Newtown, Conn. shooting: Sandy Hook elementary school gunman Adam Lanza learned to shoot from his gun-collecting mom |first1=Matthew |last1=Lysiak |first2=Dennis |last2=Slattery |first3=Corky |last3=Siemaszko |work=Daily News|location=New York |accessdate=December 15, 2012 |date=December 15, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="Sandy Hook killer was a former student at school">{{cite news|title=Sandy Hook killer was a former student at school|url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2012/12/18/adam-lanza-sandy-hook-student/1777525/|work=USA Today|date=December 18, 2012|accessdate=December 18, 2012|first1=Gary|last1=Stoller|first2=Oren|last2=Dorell}}</ref>

<ref name="Investigators look for insight into Newtown gunman's mind">{{cite news |title=Investigators look for insight into Newtown gunman's mind |url=http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/12/14/newtown-school-shooting-who-is-adam-lanza/ |publisher=CBS News |agency=Associated Press |date=December 14, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="Father of Newtown shooter lives in Stamford">{{cite news |url= http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Father-of-Newtown-shooter-lives-in-Stamford-4119559.php |title=Father of Newtown shooter lives in Stamford |newspaper=Stamford Advocate |date=December 14, 2012 |accessdate=December 14, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="Connecticut school shooting: Troubled life of Adam Lanza, a fiercely intelligent killer">{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9747682/Connecticut-school-shooting-troubled-life-of-Adam-Lanza-a-fiercely-intelligent-killer.html |title=Connecticut school shooting: Troubled life of Adam Lanza, a fiercely intelligent killer |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph | location=London |first1=Harriet |last1=Alexander |first2=David |last2=Barrett |first3=Laura |last3=Donnelly |first4=Jon |last4=Swaine |date=December 15, 2012}}</ref>

<ref name="Adam Lanza's Mom Pulled Him Out of School: Relative">{{cite web|title=Adam Lanza's Mom Pulled Him Out of School: Relative|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/adam-lanzas-mom-pulled-school-relative/story?id=17985433 |publisher=ABC News|accessdate=December 15, 2012|last=Kreider|first=Randy}}</ref>

<ref name="Autism backlash">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/19/health/shooting-autism/index.html|work=Time|title=Troubling legacy of Sandy Hook may be backlash against kids with autism|last=Rochman|first=Bonnie|date=December 19, 2012|accessdate=December 20, 2012}}</ref>


<ref name="Afraid of Autism">{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2012/12/adam_lanza_asperger_s_can_autism_explain_the_sandy_hook_tragedy.html|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|title=Don't Be Afraid of People With Autism: They are not cold-blooded killers|last=Lutz|first=Amy S.F.|date=December 17, 2012|accessdate=December 20, 2012}}</ref>
{{redirect category shell|
{{R from person}}
{{R section}}
{{Wikidata redirect}}
|h=from perpetrator to event
}}
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[[Category:American murderers of children]]
[[Category:American murderers of children]]
[[Category:Murderers who committed suicide]]
[[Category:Murderers who committed suicide]]
[[Category:Murder–suicides in the United States]]
[[Category:American people with disabilities]]
[[Category:American people with disabilities]]
[[Category:Criminals from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Criminals from New Hampshire]]
[[Category:People with Asperger syndrome]]
[[Category:People with Asperger syndrome]]
[[Category:People from Sandy Hook, Connecticut]]
[[Category:People from Fairfield County, Connecticut]]
[[Category:People from Greater Boston]]
[[Category:People from Greater Boston]]
[[Category:People from Kingston, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:People from Kingston, New Hampshire]]

Revision as of 23:49, 4 October 2019

Adam Lanza
Born
Adam Peter Lanza

(1992-04-22)April 22, 1992
Kingston, New Hampshire, U.S.
DiedDecember 14, 2012(2012-12-14) (aged 20)
Newtown, Connecticut, U.S.
Cause of deathSelf-inflicted gunshot
NationalityAmerican
Parent(s)Peter Lanza (father)
Nancy Lanza (mother)
MotiveInconclusive
Details
DateDecember 14, 2012
c. 9:35 am – c. 9:40 am
Location(s)Newtown, Connecticut, U.S.
Target(s)Students and staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School
Killed27
Injured2

Adam Peter Lanza (April 22, 1992 – December 14, 2012) was an American mass murderer who committed the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the deadliest mass shooting at a high school or grade school in U.S. history and the second-deadliest mass shooting by a single person in U.S. history, after the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings. Lanza killed 20 students, six teachers and his own mother at their home, before committing suicide.[1][2] He did not have a criminal record at the time of the shooting.[3][4][5]

Education

Lanza attended Sandy Hook Elementary School for a brief time.[6] Afterward, he attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Newtown,[7] and then Newtown High School, where he was an honors student.[8] He was taken out of high school at the age of sixteen, and began attending Western Connecticut State University shortly thereafter.[9] Subsequent to his removal from high school, Lanza was home-schooled by his mother and father, and earned a GED.[10] Lanza's aunt said his mother removed him from the Newtown public school system because she was unhappy with the school district's plans for her son.[11] He attended Western Connecticut State University in 2008 and 2009.[10] Students and teachers who knew him in high school described Lanza as "intelligent, but nervous and fidgety". He avoided attracting attention and was uncomfortable socializing. He is not known to have had any close friends in school.[2]

Behavioral problems

Lanza was diagnosed with a sensory-integration disorder at the start of elementary school. When he was thirteen he was diagnosed by a psychiatrist with Asperger syndrome, according to his father, Peter Lanza. Adam also had obsessive-compulsive disorder, being referred in October 2006 for treatment for his conditions, when behavioral-based therapy and the antidepressant Celexa were prescribed. Following objections from Nancy Lanza, the treatment was discontinued after four visits, and Lanza stopped taking the medication.[12] In a 2013 interview, Peter Lanza said he suspected his son might have also suffered from undiagnosed schizophrenia in addition to his other conditions. Lanza said that family members might have missed signs of the onset of schizophrenia and psychotic behavior during his son's adolescence because they mistakenly attributed his odd behavior and increasing isolation to Asperger syndrome.[9][13][14][15][16] Because of concerns that published accounts of Lanza's autism could result in a backlash against others with the condition, autism advocates campaigned to clarify that autism is a brain-related developmental disorder and not a mental illness.[17] The predatory aggression demonstrated by Lanza in the shooting is generally not seen in the autistic population.[18]

Sensory-processing disorder does not have official status by the medical community as a formal diagnosis but is frequently one of the characteristics of autism.[19] Kathleen A. Koenig, a nurse at the Yale Child Studies Center, said Lanza had symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder because he frequently washed his hands and changed his socks 20 times a day, to the point where his mother did three loads of laundry a day.[20] In addition, he would sometimes go through a box of tissues in one day because he could not touch a doorknob with his bare hand.[21]

Lanza was fascinated with mass shootings, most notably the Columbine High School massacre and the Northern Illinois University 2008 shooting. He did not allow anybody in his bedroom (the windows of which he had taped over with black plastic garbage bags to block out sunlight), refused to have a Christmas tree in the house, and would not eat his food unless it was arranged in a particular way on his plate.[22] He had also chosen to cut off contact with both his father and brother in the two years before the shooting and at one point communicated with his mother, who lived in the same house, only by email. A document entitled "Selfish," about the inherent selfishness of women, was found on Lanza's computer after his death.[13][23]

Physical condition

According to a report issued by the Office of the Child Advocate in Connecticut in November 2014, Lanza may have suffered from anorexia as a teenager. A February 2008 medical note stated that he was around five foot ten inches tall and weighed 112 pounds.[24] At the time of his death, he was found to be anorexic to the point of malnutrition and resultant brain damage, with a height of six feet and weight of 112 pounds.[25]

Reported 2011 phone call

In January 2014, the New York Daily News reported that Lanza had made a phone call to a college radio station in Oregon in December 2011, in which he used the name "Greg" and compared a teenage mall shooter to Travis the chimpanzee. An audio recording of the call obtained by the newspaper was said to contain Lanza's voice by two of his former high school classmates. Lanza is also said to have discussed the possibility of going on to the radio show in an instant messaging conversation, in which he had the username "Smiggles". Danbury State Attorney Stephen Sedensky said "Adam Lanza may have called a radio station, but I do not specifically know whether or not that is Adam Lanza on the audiotape".[26]

Nancy Lanza

Following her divorce from Adam's father, a corporate executive, Nancy Lanza was supported by alimony payments.[27][28][29] A relative commented that she did not have to work because the divorce settlement had left her "very well off".[30] Initial reports that Nancy Lanza had worked as a volunteer at the Sandy Hook Elementary School were denied by the school superintendent on December 15, 2012.[31] In December 2013, the release of documents related to the case included a card found at Nancy Lanza's home dating from 1999, which read "Dear Mrs. Lanza, Thank you for being such a special volunteer. The children achieved a most successful year with the dedication from your active involvement."

Her sister-in-law described Nancy Lanza as a "gun enthusiast who owned at least a dozen firearms".[32][33][34][35] She often took her two sons to a local shooting range and had them learn to shoot.[27][36] Peter Lanza said he does not believe Nancy Lanza feared her son Adam. She did not confide any fear of Adam to her sister or to her best friend; she slept with her bedroom door unlocked and she kept guns in the house where she lived with Adam.[13]

References

  1. ^ Effron, Lauren (December 14, 2012). "Mass School Shootings: A History". ABC News. Retrieved April 11, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Halbfinger, David M (December 14, 2012). "A Gunman, Recalled as Intelligent and Shy, Who Left Few Footprints in Life". The New York Times. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  3. ^ Llanos, Miguel (December 14, 2012). "Authorities ID gunman who killed 27 in elementary school massacre". NBC News. Associated Press. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  4. ^ Misur, Susan; Carter, Angi; Smith, Jenn (December 14, 2012). "Adam Lanza's family seemed like normal family, neighbors say". The Evening Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  5. ^ Yost, Pete; Keyser, Jason (December 14, 2012). "Connecticut shooting suspect was honors student". Boston Globe. Associated Press. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  6. ^ Stoller, Gary; Dorell, Oren (December 18, 2012). "Sandy Hook killer was a former student at school". USA Today. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
  7. ^ Miller, John (December 16, 2012). "The Brief, Enigmatic Life of Mass-Murderer Adam Lanza". Anchorage, Alaska: KTVA. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  8. ^ Yost, Pete; Keyser, Jason (December 15, 2012). "Correction: Conn school shooting-suspect story". NPR. Associated Press.
  9. ^ a b "Raising Adam Lanza". Frontline. PBS. February 19, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  10. ^ a b "Adam Lanza Took Western Connecticut State University Courses When He Was 16". Huffington Post. December 17, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  11. ^ Kreider, Randy. "Adam Lanza's Mom Pulled Him Out of School: Relative". ABC News. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  12. ^ "Sandy Hook shooter treated at Yale". Yale Daily News. January 22, 2014. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  13. ^ a b c "The Reckoning". The New Yorker. New Yorker. March 17, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  14. ^ Falco, Miriam (December 17, 2012). "Groups: Autism not to blame for violence". CNN. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  15. ^ Goodwin, Liz (February 19, 2013). "New photos, details emerge of Newtown mass shooter Adam Lanza | The Lookout". Yahoo! News. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  16. ^ "Adam Lanza Diagnosed With Sensory Integration Disorder | Video". ABC News. February 18, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  17. ^ Rochman, Bonnie (December 19, 2012). "Troubling legacy of Sandy Hook may be backlash against kids with autism". Time. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  18. ^ Lutz, Amy S.F. (December 17, 2012). "Don't Be Afraid of People With Autism: They are not cold-blooded killers". Slate. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  19. ^ "Newtown Shooter Lanza Had Sensory Processing Disorder". ABC News. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  20. ^ "Police release documents on Newtown massacre". Politico.com. December 27, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  21. ^ "Adam Lanza, Newtown school shooter, remains enigma despite files". Newsday. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  22. ^ "Sandy Hook killer Adam Lanza took motive to his grave". CNN. November 26, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [dead link]
  23. ^ "Sandy Hook Report: Inside Gunman Adam Lanza's Bedroom". ABC News. November 25, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  24. ^ Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School (PDF) (Report). 21 November 2014. p. 71. Retrieved 28 November 2014. The record notes that he was 112 pounds and almost 5 feet, 10 inches tall, suggesting possible anorexia at this time.
  25. ^ Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School (PDF) (Report). 21 November 2014. p. 8. Retrieved 28 November 2014. AL was anorexic at the time of death, measuring 6 feet tall and weighing only 112 pounds.
  26. ^ "Adam Lanza calls in radio station a year before Sandy Hook shooting and gives bizarre interview". Daily News (New York). January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  27. ^ a b Alexander, Harriet; Barrett, David; Donnelly, Laura; Swaine, Jon (December 15, 2012). "Connecticut school shooting: Troubled life of Adam Lanza, a fiercely intelligent killer". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  28. ^ "Father of Newtown shooter lives in Stamford". Stamford Advocate. December 14, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  29. ^ "Peter Lanza Statement: Father Of Adam Lanza Says, 'We Too Are Asking Why'". Huffington Post. December 15, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  30. ^ Martinez, Michael; Ariosto, David (December 16, 2012). "Adam Lanza's family: Mom liked parlor games, guns; dad, a tax exec, remarried". CNN. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
  31. ^ Flegenheimer, Matt; Somaiya, Ravi (December 15, 2012). "Nancy Lanza, mother of Conn. school gunman, was "big, big gun fan"". The Denver Post. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  32. ^ "Friends: Newtown gunman's mother home-schooled son, kept arsenal of guns". CBS News. December 16, 2012.
  33. ^ Bankoff, Caroline (December 2012). "Newtown Shooter Adam Lanza's Mother Was an Avid Gun Collector". New York. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  34. ^ "Investigators look for insight into Newtown gunman's mind". CBS News. Associated Press. December 14, 2012.
  35. ^ Goodwin, Liz (December 19, 2012). "Survivalists worry 'preppers' will be scapegoated for Newtown shooting". Yahoo! News. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  36. ^ Lysiak, Matthew; Slattery, Dennis; Siemaszko, Corky (December 15, 2012). "Newtown, Conn. shooting: Sandy Hook elementary school gunman Adam Lanza learned to shoot from his gun-collecting mom". Daily News. New York. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
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