Newtown identifies dead; nation mourns

"We are a stong and caring place. We will put our arms around each other," Patricia Llodra told the assembled media before asking for kindness and respect for her neighbors as they deal with their grief.

Local, state and federal investigators were continuing the probe into the attack that left 28 dead — 20 children and six adults at the school, the gunman's mother at home, and the gunman himself, who committed suicide. 

All the victims at the school were killed up close by multiple rifle shots, a medical examiner said.

Dr. H. Wayne Carver said at a news conference Saturday the deaths are classified as homicides. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has complete autopsies on the bodies of everyone except the shooter and his mother. 

All six adults killed at the school were women. Of the 20 children who were shot to death, eight were boys and 12 were girls. All the children were ages 6 or 7.

"Our goal was to get the kids out and available to funeral directors first," Carver said. That process was expected to continue Saturday evening, even as a list of victims was distributed to the media.

"My sensibilities may not be that of the average man," Carver said, noting his three decades as a medical examiner, "but this probably is the worst I have seen."

Asked if he had been moved to tears, Carver said, "Not yet."

While Connecticut state troopers declined to officially identify the killer, investigators were trying to learn more about Adam Lanza, 20, whom authorities said shot his mother, Nancy Lanza, drove to the school in her car with at least three of her guns, and opened fire in two classrooms around 9:30 a.m. Friday.

All six adults killed at the school were women. Of the 20 children, eight were boys and 12 were girls. All the children were 6 or 7 years old.

Among the dead: popular Principal Dawn Hochsprung, who town officials say tried to stop the rampage and paid with her life; school psychologist Mary Sherlach, who probably would have helped survivors grapple with the tragedy; a teacher thrilled to have been hired this year; and a 6-year-old girl who had just moved to Newtown from Canada.

Authorities said Lanza had no criminal history, and it was unclear whether he had a job.

Lanza committed suicide after his killing spree.

Robbie Parker fought back tears and struggled to catch his breath as he described his 6-year-old daughter, Emilie, as a little girl who loved to draw. He also reserved surprisingly kind words for the gunman, saying he was not mad and offering sympathy for the gunman's family.

To the man's family, he said, "I can't imagine how hard this experience must be for you."

In a statement released late Saturday, the father of the gunman said his family is struggling to make sense of what happened.

Peter Lanza said the family "is grieving along with all those who have been affected by this enormous tragedy."

Newtown education officials said they had found no link between Adam Lanza's mother, who was killed before the school massacre, and the school, contrary to news reports that said she was a teacher there. Investigators believe Adam Lanza attended Sandy Hook Elementary many years ago, but they had no explanation for why he went there Friday.

When the list of the victims was released, nearly everyone already seemed to know someone who had died.

Investigators also have interviewed gun dealers trying to determine whether there was any training or other behavior that precipitated the attack.