On December 14, 2012, the United States was shaken by one of the deadliest school shootings in its history when a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. The attack claimed the lives of 26 people—20 young children and six adult staff members—before the shooter, Adam Lanza, died by suicide as police arrived.
The victims included children between six and seven years old, whose lives were cut short just weeks before the holidays. They were:
Ana Marquez-Greene
Charlotte Bacon
Daniel Barden
Olivia Chapman
Josephine Gay
Dylan Hockley
Madeleine Hsu
Catherine Hubbard
Chase Kowalski
Jesse Lewis
James Mattioli
Grace McDonnell
Emily Parker
Jack Pinto
Noah Pozner
Caroline Previdi
Jessica Rekos
Avielle Richman
Benjamin Wheeler
Allison Wyatt
The six adult educators and staff members who died while protecting students were:
Dawn Hochsprung, Principal
Mary Sherlach, School Psychologist
Victoria Soto, Teacher
Lauren Rousseau, Teacher
Rachel Davino, Behavioral Therapist
Anne Marie Murphy, Special Education Teacher
The tragedy sent shockwaves across the nation and prompted renewed debates around gun policy, school security, and mental health systems. In the years since, families of the victims have transformed their grief into advocacy, working to promote violence prevention, safer communities, and support for children and families.
More than a decade later, the legacy of Sandy Hook endures—not only in remembrance of the lives lost, but in the continued efforts to ensure such a tragedy is never repeated.