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Newtown shooter's history reviewed in new report

New Haven Register (CT) - 11/21/2014

Nov. 21--The gunman in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings showed an early preoccupation with violence, became increasingly isolated and he had been diagnosed with autism, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, according to a report released Tuesday.

On Dec. 14, 2012, Adam Lanza, 20, killed his mother, then shot his way into the school, where he killed 20 children and six adults. Lanza killed himself when police arrived.

On Friday, the state Office of the Child Advocate released its report on the shooting and whether there were any warning signs.

"In the course of Lanza's entire life, minimal mental health evaluation and treatment (in relation to his apparent need) was obtained. Of the couple of providers that saw Lanza, only one -- the Yale Child Study Center -- seemed to appreciate the gravity of (his) presentation, his need for extensive mental health and special education supports, and the critical need for medication to ease his obsessive-compulsive symptoms," the report states.

While the report notes weaknesses and lapses in the educational and healthcare systems' responses to Lanza, it notes, "No direct line of causation can be drawn from these to the horrific mass murder at Sandy Hook."

According to the report, Lanza became increasingly preoccupied with mass murder, encouraged by a cyber-community -- a micro society of mass murder enthusiasts with whom he was in email communication.

The agency investigates all untimely deaths of children in the state in cooperation with the Child Fatality Review Panel, then issues a report focusing on the prevention of future child deaths.

The panel directed the Office of the Child Advocate to investigate the deaths of the 20 school children, and focus on Lanza's personal, educational, mental health and medical background, to see if there were any red flags.

The panel was tasked with determining what can be learned from Lanza's background and what changes can be made to public health systems to prevent similar tragedies.

The Office of the Victim Advocate reviewed thousands of documents and records prior to issuing the report.

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(c)2014 the New Haven Register (New Haven, Conn.)

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