Connecticut community mourns school shooting victims

NEWTOWN -- On Saturday night, a candlelight vigil was held to remember the 26 women and children murdered by Adam Lanza at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.  Twenty first graders were shot multiple times in two adjoining classrooms Friday morning.  Twelve girls and eight boys will never return home.

The grief-stricken father of 6-year-old Emilie Parker shared the memory of his little girl.

"She was the type of person who could just light up the room," Parker said. "She always had something kind to say about anybody. And her love, and the strength that she gave us, and the example that she showed us is remarkable. She is an incredible person, and I am so blessed to be her dad.”

A memorial in front of the fire station in Newtown is growing in love and support for the families of the children, teachers, principal, and school psychologist killed. The state medical examiner said he has never seen anything so tragic in his 30 year career.



“This probably is the worst I have seen," Dr. Wayne Carver said. "It’s the worst that I know of any of my colleagues having seen.”

Newtown residents don't know if they'll ever be able to understand the senseless act.

"I am absolutely devastated by it and I feel it’s probably the least I can do to just come here and pay my respect to all the people who have had no reason to die that early,” Justin Cherry said.

Emilie Parker’s father made a request of the nation that's focused on this tiny town.

"As we move on from what happened here what happened to so many people, let it not turn into something that defines us but something that inspires us to be better, to be more compassionate and more humble people,” Parker said. “Let us please keep the sentiments of love that we feel for our families and the compassion we feel for others even complete strangers and keep them with us at all times not just at times of sorrow and tragedy."