[A person signing document paper. Photo Credit: Pexel]

On December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, fell victim to a school shooting that resulted in the deaths of 20 children and six adults.

This tragic event reignited the national debate over gun laws and regulations in America and revealed the increasingly diverse stances across various states.

In the aftermath, many states in the US have begun taking a less optimistic stance on the prospect of civilians owning and or carrying firearms.

Connecticut, in particular, has taken a proactive stance to limit the accessibility of firearms.

The perpetrator, Adam Lanza, a 20-year-old man, was reported to have murdered his mother before the incident to take her car and guns.

He then drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School, crashed into the building, and left his shotgun in the car.

Lanza proceeded to shoot his way into the school's windows.

During the incident, he first went to Lauren Rousseau's classroom.

The attack ultimately claimed the lives of teachers Victoria Soto, Anne Marie Murphy, and Rachel D’Avino, along with their students.

Police received an emergency call at 9:35 a.m., but by the time they arrived, Lanza had already taken his own life.

In response to this catastrophe, numerous states sought measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.

In 2013, Conneticut made adjustments to what is considered an assault weapon, as any firearm capable of full auto, semi-auto, and burst fire was declared an assault weapon.

Additional laws were implemented, such as prohibiting selling or purchasing firearms out of the state or from an outside suppl.ier if neither the buyer nor seller has been given a license.

These measures have proven to be effective, as in a public interview with the executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence, Ron Pinciaro, he stated, ”If you look at the homicide rate, I think it worked out that there were 92 gun homicides per year in Connecticut on average. Last year, there were 53.”

Studies conducted by the Bulletin also support this fact, showing that crime rates in Connecticut are reaching an all-time low.

In 2022, Conneticut saw a massive drop in not only murder rates but also crime rates in general, with 13% of crime dropping in only a year.

Following the 2012 tragedy, several nonprofit organizations stepped in to support their attempts to help the survivors and victims by giving them an outline to speak about their mental distress and baggage, culminating in the creation of the “Say Something” Program.

This program educates about the dangers of school shootings and provides guidance on surviving such incidents.

The “Say Something” program suggests a multitude of ideas to ensure the prevention of such shootings; these include criminal background checks, a ban on high-capacity magazines, and increased support for suicide/violence prevention campaigns in schools.

All the ideas that the “Say Something” program created were based on some of the actions that resulted in students' survival, as 11 children could survive because Adam Lanza needed to reload his weapon.

This tragedy and subsequent legislative actions reflect a nationwide effort to prevent future incidents and ensure the safety of school children across America.