NEWTOWN, Conn. — Dec. 14 marks 11 years since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. In 2012, the lives of 20 children and six adults were taken after a mass shooting at the school.
Connecticut continues to remember the lives lost, and the effects of the shooting are still felt around the state.
All flags in Connecticut will be flown at half-staff Thursday to mark 11 years, per Gov. Ned Lamont's orders.
“The tragedy that occurred on this day eleven years ago is one of the worst in our history, but in its aftermath, we witnessed an unprecedented outpouring of support from all over the country, spreading a message of love and unity that we must work to protect and reinforce," Lamont said. "In the memories of the twenty innocent children and six devoted educators whose lives were taken all too soon, I strongly urge the people of Connecticut to dedicate ourselves to being sources of love, healing, joy, and humanity – not just on this anniversary, but every day.”
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) took to the Senate floor and gave remarks regarding the 11th year.
"In Connecticut, we wear our hearts really heavy but we also get to celebrate all of the things that have happened because so many of these families took their grief and they turned it into action and they turned it into change," Murphy said. "Many of these families have started not-for-profit organizations, have started charities, tried to change other people's lives. Many of these families have been deeply engaged in the work of trying to make sure that mass shootings never happen again."
When it comes to expanding gun control on a national level, "We need to just make a decision as a country as to whether we want to live in a world in which this carnage continues," Murphy added.
State Sen. Tony Hwang represents Sandy Hook and Newtown, and says this is a time to "pause to remember those students and staff who were lost...and reach out and support those family and friends they left behind."
"I offer my gratitude, respect and support to all members of the Newtown and Sandy Hook communities who continue to heal from the emotionally traumatic impact of that unspeakable act of evil against humanity," Hwang said. "It is important to recognize the Newtown community that is so full of kindness and caring, where so much good is being done in honor of those precious lives lost that day. Each day is a testament to the spirit of Newtown’s resilient residents to be kind and strive to make a positive difference in people’s lives to honor those lost that day."
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who represented Arizona's 8th district, shared a statement, saying in part, "That horrific day changed many Americans forever, including myself. Since then, we have galvanized a movement to stop gun violence. Nothing will bring those we lost that day back. One million people have been shot across the country since Sandy Hook. Nothing will undo that. But if the calls we make and gun safety champions we elect and laws we pass spare even one family from knowing this pain, our efforts will have been worth it."
A recent gun control measure took effect in Connecticut this past fall; the new state law bans open carry and prohibits the sale of more than three handguns within 30 days to one person, with some exceptions for instructors and others. This was the biggest piece of gun legislation to take effect in Connecticut since the Malloy administration banned over 100 kinds of firearms and banned high-capacity magazines in 2013.
Erica Lafferty, who lost her mother, Dawn Hocksprung, in the shooting, is living a new nightmare, as she battles a rare brain tumor.
“Finding out that I had cancer was, I would say, the scariest thing that I have been through since my mom was murdered,” Lafferty told FOX61 in November.
A GoFundMe was set up for Lafferty and has so far raised over $192K for her medical expenses.
Lafferty was one of many loved ones who took the stand during the Alex Jones defamation trial over a year ago. The summary judgment awarded Sandy Hook families $1.5 billion, and Lafferty has not seen any of the $111 million she was awarded, as Jones has declared bankruptcy.
Last month, lawyers for the families offered to take at least $85 million over 10 years during Jones' personal bankruptcy case in Houston.
These are the victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy:
- Charlotte Bacon, 6
- Daniel Barden, 7
- Olivia Engel, 6
- Josephine Gay, 7
- Dylan Hockley, 6
- Madeleine Hsu, 6
- Catherine Hubbard, 6
- Chase Kowalski, 7
- Jesse Lewis, 6
- Ana Márquez-Greene, 6
- James Mattioli, 6
- Grace McDonnell, 7
- Emilie Parker, 6
- Jack Pinto, 6
- Noah Pozner, 6
- Caroline Previdi, 6
- Jessica Rekos, 6
- Avielle Richman, 6
- Benjamin Wheeler, 6
- Allison Wyatt, 6
- Rachel D'Avino, 29 (behavior therapist)
- Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, 47 (principal)
- Anne Marie Murphy, 52 (special education teacher)
- Lauren Rousseau, 30 (teacher)
- Mary Sherlach, 56 (school psychologist)
- Victoria Leigh Soto, 27 (teacher)
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