The father of Adam Lanza — the 20-year-old who sent on a shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School after he shot and killed his mother — said in his first public statements on the incident that his son would’ve killed him, too, had he found the chance.
“With hindsight, I know Adam would have killed me in a heartbeat, if he’d had the chance,” said Peter Lanza, to New Yorker magazine, in an interview that’s set to appear in the March 17 edition.
Lanza killed his mother, Nancy, then turned the gun on 20 children, six staffers and himself during a Newtown, Conn., school shooting in December 2012.
“The reason he shot Nancy four times was one for each of us — one for Nancy, one for him, one for [his brother] Ryan, one for me,” Mr. Lanza said, CNN reported.
Mr. Lanza also said that his son had spoken to several therapists and counselors, but none warned of his violent tendency. And neither he nor his ex-wife saw the tendency in him, either, he said, CNN reported. Still, Mr. Lanza said he noticed his son change during middle school.
By that time, “it was crystal clear something was wrong,” he said, CNN reported. “The social awkwardness, the uncomfortable anxiety, unable to sleep, stress, unable to concentrate, having a hard time learning, the awkward walk, reduced eye contact. You could see the changes occurring.”
On the shootings, he said: “You can’t get any more evil. How much do I beat up on myself about the fact that he’s my son? A lot. It’s gut-wrenching.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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