Police Report On Newtown Shooting Released
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Police in Connecticut released thousands of pages of police documents from the investigation into last year's school massacre in Newtown, shedding additional light on the world of the 20-year-old gunman Adam Lanza.
The report, which was released at around 3 p.m. Friday, "has been redacted according to law," and includes text, photos and 911 calls received by state police, police said Thursday.
Commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Reuben F. Bradford said in a letter attached to the report that much of the identifying information involving children and many witnesses was withheld.
Police Report On Newtown Shooting Released
As WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported, the victims families were not given an opportunity to review the report before its release. State police issued an apology via email obtained by the Connecticut Post, saying their efforts to keep the report private were unsuccessful.
Video released in the report shows police touring Lanza's home in search of a motive for the shooting. The camera moves from room to room capturing both the mundane and the horrific, CBS 2's Lou Young reported.
There was also an especially chilling photograph included in the report. The photo showed a baby holding a handgun, dressed in camouflage, seated on the floor in front of a rack of weapons, Young said.
Prosecutors issued a summary of the investigation last month that portrayed Lanza as obsessed with mass murders, but the report concluded that Lanza's motives for the massacre might never be known.
Police Report On Newtown Shooting To Be Released
The summary report referred to items found on a computer at Lanza's house that included writings detailing relationships, personal beliefs, a daily schedule, desires, goals and other topics.
LINK: Evidence Photos From Sandy Hook
Lanza killed 20 first graders and six educators with a semi-automatic rifle at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012, after killing his mother inside their home. He committed suicide with a handgun as police arrived at the school.
To try to figure out the motive, investigators said, they interviewed members of Lanza's family, teachers and others. They said they also tried within the limits of privacy laws to gather information on his medical treatment.
Lanza "was undoubtedly afflicted with mental health problems; yet despite a fascination with mass shootings and firearms, he displayed no aggressive or threatening tendencies,'' the prosecutors' summary investigation said.
In fifth grade, Lanza wrote "The Big Book of Granny,'' in which the main character has a gun in her cane and shoots people, and another character talks of liking to hurt people, especially children. The book was among items seized from Lanza's home, but there was no indication he ever handed in the book at school.
Lanza became obsessed with the 1999 bloodbath at Columbine High in Colorado and other mass killings, the report said. He also kept a spreadsheet ranking mass murders.
Lanza was carrying more than 30 pounds of guns and ammunition with him at the school and had the ability and intention to kill more than the 26 victims, the report said.
The report also said that in 2005, Lanza was diagnosed with Asperger's disorder, an autism-like condition that is not associated with violence, and that he lacked empathy for others and behaved strangely. Nobody was allowed into his room, not even to clean, according to the report. It said Lanza also disliked birthdays, Christmas and holidays and did not like to have his hair cut.
He also wouldn't touch doorknobs, his food had to be arranged on the plate in a certain way, and he changed clothes often during the day. He was a loner at school and was repelled by crowds and loud noises.
Earlier this month, 911 calls made from inside the school were released to the public.
In one of the calls, an unidentified teacher called from a classroom to report what sounded like gunshots in the hall. Another woman reported she was in a classroom with children and two other adults, but that there was no way to safely lock the door.
In all, seven recordings of landline calls from inside the school to Newtown police were released. The calls were posted on the town's website under a court order after a lengthy effort by numerous media outlets that pushed for the tapes to be released for review.
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