Funerals Commence for Students Killed in School Shooting; President Visits Newtown, Connecticut
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN (voice-over): Newtown, Connecticut, small, close-knit community, swallowed by grief this morning after the unimaginable loss of 20 children and six adults, all killed inside an elementary school. Today, they prepare to bury the first of the victims.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will move on. We will never forget. We will, in many ways, be made stronger.</s>O'BRIEN: President Obama visiting grieving families and showing support during an evening vigil says we must do more.</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We can't tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change.</s>O'BRIEN: Now, questions around the tragedy as we learn more about the victims from that unforgettable Friday morning, but the ultimate question remains, why did it happen?</s>O'BRIEN: And we may never, ever get an answer to that question, why. Good morning, and welcome to a special edition of STARTING POINT live from Newtown, Connecticut. I'm joined by "EARLY START" co-anchor John Berman. Today, Two 6-year-old boys will be buried and children across the country head back to school. Jack pinto, a little guy who loved New York Giants, and also Noah Pozner, the youngest of the 26 victims who died on Friday morning. He was a twin. His sister survived.</s>JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: His sister survived, still doesn't know how her twin brother died. President Obama, of course, was here last night trying to bring comfort to the inconsolable, promised to use his powers, everything he can do as president to end this kind of madness.</s>OBAMA: This is our first task, caring for our children. Can we truly say as a nation that we're meeting our obligations?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come down now. One, two, three, ready, and go.</s>BERMAN: Today we're remembering the fallen, all of them. A little more about victims like this girl are you seeing right here, Ana Marquez-Greene, this little girl who loved to sing and write love letters to her parents. Of course, as we focus on the victims that will be our main focus, but we talk about the suspected shooter, how police say he got into the school and why he may have been targeting the Sandy Hook elementary school to begin with. We start off telling you about the first of 20 funerals for children. Sandra Endo, today will be one of the toughest days, Sandra, as they try to put into words, make some kind of sense of these funerals of these little boys.</s>SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Soledad, the pain of this community being felt across the country. Last night, President Obama speaking to residents here in Newtown, offered words of comfort and support.</s>OBAMA: I come to offer the love and prayers of a nation. I am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. I can only hope it helps for you to know that you're not alone in your grief.</s>ENDO: And President Obama also met with the victims' family members, and last night a tweet from 30-year-old daughter of the slain principal at Sandy Hook Elementary tweeted this, "My mom would be so proud to see president Obama holding her granddaughter, but not as proud as I am of her." And today marks the first day of funerals for the days to come. This afternoon, six-year-old Noah Pozner will be laid to rest. Just turned six last month, and he is survived by his twin sister, whose family members say do not know exactly the way her brother died. Also being buried today, six-year-old Jack Pinto. He was a huge sports fan and one of his favorite stars was New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz. Cruz on the field this weekend, paid tribute to Pinto, writing on his glove, "Today's game is for you, Jack." Soledad and John, back to you.</s>BERMAN: Such a moving tribute from Victor Cruz and there were trick out tributes all around the country from football teams. Today is the first day of funerals and for kids in Connecticut, the first day back to school, but not yet in Newtown. I want to know what are the plans for the Sandy Hook Elementary School itself?</s>ENDO: That's right, John. All schools in Newtown will be closed today. That's for staff to be able to talk to experts, to figure out how to deal with students in this aftermath of the tragedy. And tomorrow classes will resume except for at Sandy Hook Elementary. They are going to be accommodated by a neighboring school in a neighboring town. John, and Soledad.</s>BERMAN: Some of the kids will be getting back to school as soon as tomorrow, really, really quickly.</s>O'BRIEN: I imagine the routine would be better than keeping them out of school. I understand the idea of parents not wanting to let their children go anywhere near a school, but I think for kids, getting back to routine might be helpful.</s>BERMAN: That's right, getting kids back together important. As this is happening, the police investigation into the massacre is in full swing.</s>O'BRIEN: Connecticut police have confirmed the identity of the gunman, the fact that he used a semiautomatic assault weapon to blast his way through. Alison Kosik has the latest. Alison, good morning.</s>ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad. We're getting a closer look at where the gunman lived with his mother Nancy, a very quiet, affluent neighborhood here in Sandy Hook. The house is a big house sitting on top of the hill with even a wreath above the front door. We're also learning new details of how the gunman got into the school, despite the fact that the school had security, that it locked its doors at 9:30, had to be buzzed into the school. We are learning how many weapons he had on him and how much ammunition he was carrying.</s>KOSIK: The gunman, Adam Lanza, fired dozens of bullets, using a semiautomatic weapon, using a pistol to kill himself.</s>LT. PAUL VANCE, CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE: The weapon that was utilizes must of the time during this horrific crime has been identified as a Bushmaster AR-15 assault style weapon with high- capacity magazines, and, in addition, the subject had a glock .10 millimeter and .9 millimeter Sig Sauer. All weapons had additional magazines.</s>KOSIK: A fourth weapon was found in a car outside the school. We are learning more about the shooter's activities in the days, weeks, and months leading up to the second worst mass school shooting in U.S. history. The ATF confirmed to CNN Lanza visited a gun range. We do not know where or when. An ATF spokesperson also tells CNN his mother, Nancy Lanza, visited a shooting range multiple times. Her son also killed her. As for motive, authorities are still searching for answers.</s>VANCE: We're pleased with the work that's been done so far. I'm hoping that helps answer that question. We're pleased with the progress that we're making. This is a very long, tedious process.</s>KOSIK: And federal agents are especially focusing on the weapons this gunman has, specifically they are visiting gun ranges and gun dealers in the area.</s>O'BRIEN: Yes, there is something like 400 gun dealers in a four-state area, four-county area and something like 30 gun ranges as well. Thanks Alison, appreciate the update. I want to get to Zoraida Sambolin. Zoraida really focused on the victims of this tragedy. She has more to update us on. Zoraida?</s>ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR: I do, Soledad. I am at Treadwell park. Behind us is a soccer field. We're expecting a press conference at 9:00. We'll bring that to you. But you have to wonder, how many of these children, these victims and family members have actually enjoyed this park. We want to focus on those little victims. Six-year-old charlotte bacon loved school and dresses. We're told, her hair a mass of beautiful red curls. We are remembering her this morning, as well as seven-year-old Daniel Barden, a budding athlete, a member of the swim team and avid soccer player. He really earned his ripped jeans and two missing front teeth. Olivia Engel, her favorite stuffed animal was a lamb. Favorite colors pink and purple. A girl scout and involved in musical theater. She loved math and loved reading. Seven-year-old Josephine Gay liked to ride her bike in the street and set up her own lemonade stand every summer. She loved the color purple. And the principal of Sandy Hook, Dawn Hochsprung, 47 years old, she lived in Woodbury, Connecticut, with her husband, two daughters and three stepdaughters. These are just some of the victims that we want to introduce you to, their memories being honored in this community and across the country. Later this morning, we'll bring you the profiles of the rest of those who lost their lives on Friday. Soledad.</s>O'BRIEN: Zoraida, I'm so glad you are doing that. It's so nice to learn more about the children and some of the victims. Sometimes we spend so much time on the suspect and all the investigation around the suspect. It's so much nicer to focus on those whose lives should be remembered. We want to bring in Pastor Rocky Veach. He's with the Connections Church that's here in Newtown. It's great to have you with us.</s>ROCKY VEACH, PASTOR, CONNECTIONS CHURCH IN NEWTOWN: Thank you.</s>O'BRIEN: You were in Denver when Columbine happened, and you are a pastor here, father of five as well. What have you learned from living through the columbine experience that are you now able to apply here and you can help the people that are you pastoring?</s>VEACH: I think maybe just the general experience of going through it, understanding how it affects people, how it affects the community and trying to be there for people in the midst of that again. Just having gone through it, I think really that's the only thing. I don't think you can be prepared for it, especially to happen a second time. It's very shocking still.</s>O'BRIEN: I bet. You have been holding vigils. What do you tell people? As a pastor, I'm sure -- as reporters we ask this all the time. Why? This cannot be god's plan. This cannot be. This is just evil over good.</s>VEACH: It's not god's plan. Evil has a persona behind it. There is a devil. If you are Christian, you have to believe that. We try to approach it as pastors from the unseen realm. There are sometimes things going on in the unseen realm that is seen in the seen realm. That's why we pray.</s>BERMAN: This community doesn't want to be defined by this tragedy. How do you help them do that?</s>VEACH: Again, my job is helping them get in touch with the lord, get in touch with god, and then let the lord bring the lives of the people touched here, affected here, whatever to do in this town. My job is simple really. It's to get people to pray. Sometimes people have a hard time believing in god or seeing -- understanding why this happened. So we try to tell our parishioners and other people, why don't we pray? If we don't believe now, let's pretend like we do in prayer until we do. Let the lord have his hand in Newtown.</s>O'BRIEN: What was the most helpful thing for the people in Columbine, trying to make sense of a senseless tragedy, much as they are trying to figure it out here?</s>VEACH: I think good leadership in the community was seen there, in all of the same aspects as it's seen there. I think the churches came together, worked together for all of the people. I think they are doing that here. They are certainly trying to do that. If we can work together, think we'll see a good outcome.</s>O'BRIEN: Pastor Rocky Veach, we appreciate your time this morning.</s>VEACH: You're welcome.</s>O'BRIEN: The shootings in Newtown have reignited the gun control debate. We'll hear from a children's health expert on the importance of improving safety at schools right after the massacre at Virginia Tech. What has been accomplished between then and now.</s>BERMAN: Right now we'll leave you with one of the most moving things I have seen on television, certainly late night children in years. The New York children's chorus singing "Silent Night" in tribute to the victims in this community on "Saturday Night Live."