Connecticut School Shooting: Victims' bodies positively ID'd, removed from school, police say (VIDEO)

(CBS) NEWTOWN, Conn. - Lt. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police told CBS News that all 26 victims of Friday's mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School were positively identified and their bodies were removed from the crime scene.

Pictures: Conn. elementary school shooting

"Investigation has been going continuous all night long," Vance said. "Our objective certainly was to positively identify all the victims to try and give the families some closure and make it a little bit more easier for them, if there is a way to do that."

Vance said formal notifications were sent out to all the families of the victims after police positively identified all the bodies. The bodies were removed from the school overnight with the help of a medical examiner who expedited the process.

Grief counselors were provided to the victims' families, as well as to the first responders, troopers and EMS personnel who needed support in midst of the national tragedy, Vance said.