Obama: ‘Our Hearts Are Broken Today’
In a solemn press conference Friday afternoon, President Obama wept as he offered condolences to the victims’ families. “As a country, we have been through this too many times,” said Obama. “While nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need.”
Mother: “We Got A Miracle”
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A mother of a 10-year-old boy at Sandy Hook Elementary School told CBS News that the “school should be very proud” of the teachers who kept her son safe. “I get to put my kids to bed at night, and I’m very lucky,” she said, while tearfully acknowledging that “there’s a lot of parents tonight that have not gotten that miracle.”
Teacher: “I Thought We Were All Going To Die”
A Sandy Hook first-grade teacher broke down while talking to Diane Sawyer of ABC World News. Kaitlin Roig recounted how she shepherded her students into a bathroom, hiding and comforting them until police arrived. “I need you to know that I love you all very much and that it’s going to be OK,” she told her students as the sound of gunshots echoed through the school.
Student: We Hid in a Closet
A remarkably well-composed Sandy Hook student gave ABC his account of the shooting at his elementary school. The boy said he heard “lots of bangs” and “screaming,” and he explained how his class hid in the gym closet until police evacuated them.
Connecticut Governor: “Evil Visited This Community Today”
“It’s too early to speak of recovery,” said Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy in a poignant speech on Friday evening, mourning the loss of “beautiful, beautiful children.” To those who want to help, Malloy said the best way is to “say a prayer or send a best wish or to be thinking of these individuals who have suffered so mightily today."
Doctor: We Received a “Devastating Call”
Dr. John Murphy was coordinating the trauma unit at Danbury Hospital, where three victims were taken, and ready to accept more patients, according to CBS News. Dr. Murphy described to CBS what it was like to receive the call informing the hospital that there were no more victims to treat. “The room fell silent,” he said, “and there was a moment of deep grief recognizing what that meant.”
Monsignor: “I Baptized Some of These Children”
A monsignor from a local church had the responsibility Friday of talking to some families that lost children in the shooting. “We just told a little boy about his sister now,” he told ABC while choking up. “’Who am I going to play with?’ [the boy] said. ‘I have nobody to play with now.’”
