CT. shooter's relatives express "heartfelt sorrow"

KINGSTON, N.H. Relatives of a Connecticut woman fatally shot by her son before he killed 26 people at a school then killed himself say in a statement they share the grief of the Newtown community and the nation.

• Conn. school shooter had 4 weapons
• List of Conn. school shooting victims
• Shooting witness: Kids said "I can't go back to that school"
• All Conn. shooting victims hit multiple times

A sheriff in New Hampshire, where Nancy Lanza once lived, read the statement Saturday, saying the family is trying to understand "the tremendous loss." Rockingham County Sheriff Michael Downing said Lanza's brother James Champion, a retired police captain in Kingston, N.H., and other relatives express their "heartfelt sorrow." Another officer said, "The whole family is traumatized by this event."

Champion would not discuss what might have triggered his nephew to go on the shooting spree.

Nancy Lanza's family described her as kind and loving. She was once a stockbroker for John Hancock in Boston.

[Stevie851]

The school wanted to get him some help. They probably told her that he wouldn't be allowed to attend any longer. In all likelihood they recommended that she put him in an institution until he's better. She refused to accept that her child is mentally ill (which, for the record, is all about her not the child.) Now look what he's done. 28 people are dead - including her! There's nothing wrong with being mentally ill. It's just the hand you're dealt. Doesn't make you wrong and the rest of us right. Just is.

Unfortunately, putting a person with his challenges in proximity to guns is a rampage looking for a place to happen. Well, now can we revise the silly gun laws to ban assault and automatic/semi weapons? And, please, please can we undo the legacy from Ronald Reagan - who single handedly destroyed the mental health system in this country in less than 3 years.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

Her son obviously did not receive what was needed in the way of treatment and she and dozens of others paid a terrible price for that negligence.