More details about Newtown school gunman emerge

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- Like a lot of people who interacted with Lanza, Dot Stansy said he was "just quiet"

Adam Lanza.

/ AP Photo

"On one side, he did something unspeakable, but on the other, that's not how I remember him," Stansy said. "I remember him as the nice kid that, you know, I sat near to in class. We'd joked, he'd laugh, that kind of thing."

Investigators probe life of mass-murderer Adam Lanza
In divorce, mom had authority over Conn. shooter
Asperger's not likely to make people violent, experts emphasize
University: Newtown gunman took college courses at 16

"We were all hanging out outside of class afterwards one night, and he walked by and we were like, 'Hey, do you want to grab a drink with us?' And he said, 'No, I can't, I'm 17.'"

Lanza was also being home-schooled at the time.

He took seven college-level courses between the summers of 2008 and 2009, receiving several As in computer classes and also one in American history. His overall GPA was 3.26.

Dot Stasny remembers meeting Adam Lanza's mother.

"[She] introduced herself, said he was sick, asked where the classroom was, and when we walked in, she was getting his assignments from the teacher," Stansy said.

Nancy Lanza's friends, told CBS News' Scott Pelley on "60 Minutes" that she told them Adam had Asperger's syndrome and taking care of him was a full-time job.

Ryan Kraft

/ CBS News

"I mean, I know he was on he was on medication and everything, but she home-schooled him at home cause he couldn't deal with the school classes sometimes," Louise said. "So she just home-schooled Adam at home. And that that was her life."

Ryan Kraft, who babysat for the Lanza's when Adam was just about 10 years old, got a glimpse of how difficult he could be.

"I received instructions from Nancy to always supervise Adam at all times and to never turn my back on him," Kraft said.

Adam Lanza's parent divorced in 2009. CBS News spoke to a mediator in that divorce, who said his parents seemed to love him and only wanted the best for him.

[kgc0704]

Let's stop with the comments about the good old days and how sin has caused this. I am 65 years old. We had sick people then, too, but they didn't have assault weapons or access to violent video games or facebook pages where they could exercise and cultivate their sick natures. If they had that access, they would. Incidentally, those children weren't killed by allergies, or bows and arrows. it was guns. And any mother who would take a child like that to a shooting range is a bad mother, no matter how nice she was to other people. Let's get REAL here!

[kgc0704]

I am 65 years old. It was always tough, even in my day, to be different. The real difference is that we didn't have access to assault weapons and sick video games. We had to work things out. I know of several people whom I think would have been dangerous if they had the ability to mow down a whole group of children. Fortunately, they didn't have the means.

[Larnan5]

Some are going out of their way to equate violence with aspergers. This is not true. The emergency rooms are are always treating "normal" men for broken hands and feet broken by slamming them into a wall in frustration and anger. Sometimes even their heads.

[MrLiterally]

And there it is ("...he was on medication..."). Guns can be a means to violence, but they don't make you psychotic. Psychotropic medication, however is quite another story. Get on that stuff and suddenly start missing doses, and you've got a problem.

[dman6015]

Trust me, you have no idea what you're talking about. I cringe every time I read a comment where someone uses the word 'psychotropic'. Instant indicator that you're talking out your arse.

[Larnan5]

Some of these blogger on other sites seem to be e going out of their way to equate violence with aspergers. This is not true. The emergency rooms are are always treating so called "normal" men for broken hands and feet broken by slamming them into a wall in frustration and anger. Sometimes even their heads. Are they demented?

[No_Absolutes]

Larnan...I've read some of those stories about the Asperger's angle to this story. I don't think anyone is trying to say Asperger's leads to violence. I think the point is that someone with the syndrome often has little or no empathy for others. It may be that the lack of empathy, when coupled with some other disorder that causes violent thoughts, may lead to an acting out of those thoughts. But no one is suggesting that Aspergers on its own will lead to violence.

[No_Absolutes]

You have no idea what you're talking about. Alcohol and caffeine are both psychotropic substances and are consumed in massive quantities on a daily basis around this country and the world.

[mindbreaker1]

It sounds like a misdiagnosis from descriptions that have been relayed about the boy. Schizoid Personality Disorder sounds like a better fit. Not the same thing as schizophrenia.

Don't know much about this group, but I don't think either people with Asperger's or people with Schizoid Personality Disorder are usually involved in crime like this. I don't think anyone saw this coming or had cause to.

A wild guess is that he often heard how much potential all these little kids had and how amazing they are...while in his mind he had none and thus did not have approval, affection, or any hope of it. But, that is just me grasping at straws attributing emotions that make sense like jealousy and frustration. But in a closed off mind, anything could be happening.

[vbght]

It has been reported that 100,000 women and children were killed during the aerial bombardment of the recent Iraq war. These civilians were burned alive and blown to bits by coalition (i.e., USA) airpower. I doubt very much that any American gives a crap about this. The USA is a violent country.

[sarajaju]

I've noticed how emotional we, Americans, get when 14 are killed at a theater or 20 children in school when we know (with our eyes wide shut) that our government is committing atrocious acts of violence toward thousands each year in the name of Freedom.
You make a good point and it is definitely something we need to take notice of.

[MrLiterally]

I doubt those numbers. Most of the collateral damage is from Iran-backed IED's and direct violence from their supported militia groups.

[ugacrew]

That is right. When other peoples children it is expected.
When our children die, its a tragedy.
When thousands die in other wars, they are not counted.
When the media reports the death toll, its ins "american soldiers."

Truth is.....hate kills..wherever it is. We need to use all of our knowledge and power and wherewithitall to help fight to obliterate it...whenever and wherever we can. Like it or not, we are our brothers keepers.

[chuck7112]

To see Adam in the above picture, breaks my heart. How can someone be turned into a rampage killer, killing children he doesn't know? The media claimed he took a philosophy class. I hope someone in the media probes this angle. Based on my experience, there is some real twisted crap being presented by a few philosophy professors - very dark and troubling to a delicate mindset that is not strong enough to reject hate packaged as philosophy.

[magicmana]

I am sorry but Nancy Lanza is equally to blame in this tragedy. She was an IDIOT. She knew her son was troubled- yet took him to the gun range? She was setting him up/training him for this event-- no other way to explain in- I hope the 2 of them burn in HELL

[jaglenn1]

@freewilly-So when god talks about sinners going to hell,he's only joking. Everybody is really forgiven & goes to heaven? I got it now......

[GossamerWings]

I really don't think the violent video games go well with a child that could not socialize. Why was this women stock piling guns? He had problems and 20 children are dead. It is so painful to think about it. Something went wrong and it looks like this boy did not get proper care.

[Jennesco]

People say you can't catch a fish or drive a car without a license, but you can just go to a fair and buy a semi-automatic weapon. hell, you can't even buy sudafed without being checked and tracked.