The day started just like any other normal Friday morning. Got to work, settled in for what I was sure to be a rather mundane, quiet work day. However, things would change in only a few short hours.
As I have done like many other days in the past, I monitor my Twitter news feed and a couple of local police and fire scanner frequencies, tweeting out incidents of interest to my followers. Little did I know what I would become wrapped up in around 10am.
My first tweet came at 10:04am, and it was a simple link to the live scanner feed for Newtown, CT's police and fire department from www.RadioReference.com. There were reports just starting to come in that there had possibly been a shooting at an elementary school in that town. As I listened in, the response unfolded as I listened. I tweeted out major updates regarding the response and rescue efforts for those that were injured. As I was listening, it appeared to be "minor" in nature, if you can even call a shooting at an elementary school "minor". I was only hearing reports of 3 people being injured. Nothing sounded to "extreme", there wasn't a lot of panic in any of the voices I heard over the radio. In fact, at that time, I couldn't even confirm whether or not it was a shooting, as it was only being called a "medical emergency" when I began listening and tweeting. Then it became clear just how serious the situation was becoming.
Reports started to come in regarding victims with gunshot wounds. Then there were requests for a Mass Casualty Incident(MCI). First responders were requesting MCI kits be brought directly to the school. Paramedics were being asked to bring any and all of their "Automated External Defibrillators(AED)" to the scene. I began to get that pit feeling in my stomach. I learned that this school housed students from Kindergarten to Fourth Grade, age ranges from as young as 4 or 5 years old to 9 or 10 years old. Children. Not young adults, teenagers, CHILDREN.
Two hours after my initial tweet, I reported that it was confirmed that 1 child had been killed. I felt sick to my stomach. I had no idea what I was about to report on just a short time after that initial confirmation. In the end, an entire kindergarten class was unaccounted for after a rough roll call of students outside at the Sandy Hook Firehouse staging area. I would soon be confirmed that 18 students were found dead inside of 2 classrooms in the elementary school. Six adults would also be found dead, and then the gunman. It would later be found that 2 additional children succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. Another victim, believed to be the gunman's mother, would be found at her home.
I spent most of my day entrenched in the news reports, live video, pictures, and scanner feeds coming through my computer. I also had to continue with my regular job. I wasn't able to actually process any of the things I had reported on.
It wasn't until I got home, sat down at my computer, and began to cry. The thought of how scared those children must have been. Their parents, arriving at the staging area after being directed there by reverse 9-1-1 calls and text messages. They had to sit there and wait, for their children that would never come out of that school. Having to watch other parents be reunited with their children, not knowing that they would not have the chance to experience that relief. Their worst nightmare was unfolding before their eyes.
I don't have children, so I can't say that "I know what they are going through", because I don't, in fact I have no idea. I can't even begin to image what they are going through. They had just dropped their children off to school for the day, just like they have every other day. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about being one of those parents. It's unbearable. Right now, there are 27 families going through the unthinkable right now, in the height of the holiday season, a season that is supposed to be one of the happiest times of the year. Instead, it has become one of the darkest days in their lives.
What troubles me even more, is wondering if we will ever figure out that one nagging question, why? Why did this happen. Why did he choose an elementary school? What led up to today? I'm not going to ask "what could have been done" because, let's face it, we don't know. We will never know.
Please, take a moment tonight, tomorrow, the next day, and every day after that. Take a moment every day to tell the ones you love that you love them. Whether you are 5 years old or 50 years old, hug your parents if you are lucky to still have them in your life. Whether your kids are 30 years old or 3 years old, hug them a little longer. Did you have a fight with your younger or older sibling? Take a moment to put it aside and tell them you love them. No matter what you are feeling right now, just know, there are 27 families that will never be able to hug their son, daughter, brother, sister, mother, father, or cousin ever again.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families. Also, to the first responders and anyone involved with the investigation, my heart bleeds for you as well. There is a good chance that most, if not all, will never recover from this, not completely anyways.
May the Lord reach out his hand, and peacefully guide you through the gates into Heaven
