children too. it. is at least a year in the in. the year. some of the older children who work at the monastery others have left father nicholai lets his flock choose their own path. of song gilenya what do you want to be when you grow up have you ever thought about it and now now. that it's time already it's time to make a choice i know that he has already made her choice be honest with have you made your choice i want to be a designer or i can painter what about you. and in know you don't know when you will be and i don't know. what about you musher police officer police officer. why are you crying divied. the children know their father supports them and that miracles do happen ask and it shall be given seek and you will find knock and it shall be opened onto you. for instance an ordinary person won't feel very doubtful about building a church did you would saying he had no money or other resources and he wouldn't cope with the task but as for him he doesn't think he's going to do it he simply doe

, 20 children.t would make this the most deadly school shooting in united states history second only to the massacre at virginia tech in newtown, connecticut, 50 miles southwest of connecticut state capital, and 60 miles from our studio in new york city. cops identified the shooter as 24-year-old man, ryan lanza. police say at 9:30 they received an emergency call from the school right after the school, or around the town the school usually looks the doors. the killer, dressed in mock military gear, armed with two guns as he opened fire inside the school. his victims? teachers and children. >> we spotted the troopers and the newtown police entered the school and me began a complete active shooter seven including checking every door and every crack and every portion of the school. our objective was to evacuate as quickly as possible. >> officials have not confirmed the number of dead saying that they are in the process of notifying families. the officials said the shooter died inside the school. it is

>> the beauty of children the strength of children. and the kindness of a community, the goodness of parents. i want to meet their parents, speak with them. this is a very good community. it's a very tight community. i was going to the diner, a small little country diner, and u say the children. my life changed. >> gene rosen, thank you. >> thank you, gene. >> thank you for sharing your story with us. >> thank you for being here. thank you. >> there are so many questions yet to be answered about this massacre of innocent children one that haunts us all is what kind of person was adam lanza. another, what would drive a young man to do such a thing. let's get the latest of that part of the investigation from senior correspondent john miller former director of the fbi. john's in our studio. john, what have we learned about adam lanza? >> what we've learned is he was a quiet boy. friends told us as we found them through the night that he was socially awkward and in some cases he made people uncomfortable who didn't know him well and very d

children, beautiful, beautiful children who had simply come to school to learn and their day ended a very different way than any of us possibly could have imagined. quite frankly, as we stand here today, still can't imagine what traps pyred there. . >> evil visited this community today. and it's too early to speak of recovery. but each parent, each sibling each member of the family has to understand that connecticut, we're all in this together. we'll do whatever we can to overcome this event. we will get through it. but this is a terrible time for this community and for these famili families. our police personnel and others are doing the utmost to clear this situation as soon as possible and to return these children to their parents or these loved ones to their fellow loved ones as quickly as possible. and we'll work with all of the residents of this community and connecticut to make sure that we do, in fact, get through this. i was mayor of stanford on 9/11 when our state lost many of its citizens and i lost a number of my fellow citizens and friends. i never thought that in a publi

they have to evacuate the children in an orderly fashion. and you and your listeners have to realize too, if police have to do a very cautious room by room search because there could be another individual allegedly working with the gunman. there could be teachers and students who are hunkered down, this is what they're taught to do, if they can't escape the building, they have to hunker down indoors, hide behind furniture, in closets so state police have to do a room by room search to find any other injured, any other children that are hiding out. >> as a result of what might be a shooting there, as we are try fog get information out of newtown, contract at sandy hook elementary school. we do realize right now is they're holding the ems units, asking that no more come to the school. but at the danbury high school close by, we do not know whether these are students or whether these are administrators, whether these are teachers. but they are holding and asking that no more emsb brought there. we also understand they had other units requested

like the children in our classroom, they're very accepting of our special-needs children.ese children as, "they are different. they can't do this, or they can't do that." they're very helpful to them. i mean, when one of our special-needs children is having trouble with something, another child will go over there and help him out, or they'll tell the teacher and say, "oh, he's having trouble with that." and even so--it just-- just to acknowledge that differences aren't-- to be different isn't to be bad. child: i'm going to kill a lion. hendrick: there's nothing complicated or especially difficult about teaching in a non-sexist, multicultural environment. my grandma, she had this-- remember those collars? yes. well, she had one, but it was square around the neck, kind of. that's ok if that's what you want to wear. that will be perfect. you can make one like that. hendrick: our goal is simply to help each of our children build a foundation of positive attitudes towards themselves and towards people who are different-- a foundation based on our 4 principles of equity. ♪ oh, i

but my children, five of my six children, got 22 vaccines. beginning in 1989, that's the thimerosal generation. that's the vaccine generation. >> daddy, daddy! >> so the mercury hypothesis had more plausibility than that for mmr because of the nature of mercury, which is known to be a neurotoxicant. but mercury poisoning does not resemble autism at all. the fact that mercury is a toxicant is not sufficient to claim that the mercury contained in vaccines can lead to autism. so it was critical, therefore, to follow up this hypothesis with properly conducted epidemiological studies. oh! >> narrator: under public pressure, public health agencies decided to act on the side of caution rather than wait for the results of such epidemiological studies. in 1999, the fda asked manufacturers to reduce or eliminate thimerosal in vaccines as soon as possible. >> unfortunately, i think it precipitated the notion that the thimerosal was doing harm. and from a parent's standpoint, that again was very understandable. why would you take something out of vaccine

because there are many in this town who know they have their children many in town that know 20 children and six adults were killed. and some time after the next 10 or 15 minutes, they're going to hear those names and that will open up a whole new set of wounds for this town, wounds that have hardly even had a chance to start healing since last night. it's going to be a tough time in the next few minutes, john. >> i think you're absolutely right, ali. i think those names are going to make this reality all the more painful for the people here. i'm standing in front of, by the way, the st. rose of lima catholic church where there was a vigil. more than 1,000 people in this community gathered here to be together to grieve together. so many of the people here knew people who were at the school, so many people here directly affected by what went on. earlier i spoke to the father of one child who survived the shooting. and it was a tough conversation. listen to what he had to tough conversation. listen to what he had to say about how his daughter is copi with the situation and how he found out

their own children, who are orphans, their own children who are sick, their own children who in some cases are disabled. it makes no sense in the world. i was trying to thank, the senator from missouri, what would ever possess the united states of america or any country to take their anger and frustrations out on children. and that's what the duma did. and so they are hurting their own children and we would like to urge them strongly in this resolution, which i'm going to submit for its immediate consideration on my behalf and senator blunt and senator inhofe, we would like to ask the russian government to please reconsider. there might be other actions they could take to make it clear that they're unhappy with some things that we've done, but, you know, damning are children should not be one of them, causing children to not have an opportunity for a family or an education or health care or enough food, and to please reconsider it -- be considerate of their needs. now, the 50 or so families that are in the very end of the process, we also want to ask the government to understand that

there were children consoling children of this is riding.g boy has it is-4 rabbetin--it is rentin riddi if these images are for -- riviting...a nun on this scene with mass chaos for they are descending on this fire house waiting to reunited with their children. 20 parents were told that their children were killed. catherine has more. this day was filled with raw emotion. >> yes, grant lodes told us and showed us that they were told to shut their eyes, and hold hands to get out of the school. some of the children were brought out by police. some of them carried them to close their eyes. here, again the some of the reactions from parents and students. >> it is terrifying i am still in shock. i still do not know what happened to. >> there were police officers on the roof and also in the hallways. >> id just seems on rnon real my heart is an 1-pieces. my heart is in one on thousand pieces. one of the policeman said that it is the worst that it has seen in his entire currier and these parents waiting for their children to come out of that will ho

younger children might have more trouble understanding. >> so for those children it's reelly important to try and limit their exposure to these events all the news coverage and to more importantly to reassure to them the safety of their environment. >> reporter: older children will have a greater understanding and want to know more of the specifics, she says be open with them and stress the isolated nature of the event. >> this is a random isolated event and it could happen to anyone anywhere although it most likely will not. >> it's not a normal person that will go into an elementary school and shoot it up methodically. >> reporter: be calm and reassure your kids that there are a lot of people looking out to make sure they're safe. so listen to your kids tonight. let them talk about their feelings. keep in mind they will be paying close attention to the moods of the adults around them. try to maintain a normal routine and reassure children that school is a safe place. some kids will have more intense reactions to the situation so be on the lookout for any major changes in behavior. i

one of the many children. 500 children believed go to this elementary school. clutching one another, as their teachers brought them to safety at the fire house. wtnh joining us coverage. >>> i want to bring in dr. richard besser, the children leaving the school, there were reports of cries and tears but no overdict screaming, they were very calm and it was the 17-year-old a moment ago who said that he had to be calmed down by people on the scene that his mother had to be calmed down, it's the adults in this situation, the older students who know the scope of this is going to be extraordinary to help them deal it with first to then help the younger members of their families who survived this ordeal. >> david, i think you're right on track. how people react to this will depend on a lot on their age, their level of development and how much they're exposed to this. very young children, may not be able to comprehend this, children under 7, to use a cutoff, don't let them hear the reports. try not let them see the coverage of this on tell vix. that repeated exposure

fathers abandon children, mothers abuse children, whatever it may be, then the children suffer. so in a free society, you're always going to have dysfunctional people and you're always going to have evil. always. i don't think a lot of people understand -- my mother, for example, doesn't understand evil. when i would tell her, hey, mom, i was in el salvador and i saw nuns get shot in the back of the head, she almost couldn't process it. she couldn't process it. you know. and i don't know whether we americans really understand the concept of evil. >> you're absolutely right that it exists. it and i can tell you that there absolutely are people, they may not be mentally healthy, they're sane and they choose to hurt others just because they want to and we have to wrap our minds around that and you're right, we can't make everybody parent the way that they should. society is not squander chances when we get them to intervene because the person has given us reason to, has shown a propensity to be dangerous. i predicted in this thing, we're going to find out there were signs all over

these are children who have never seen evil. these are children who are in the flower of innocence. here is a grown up dressed in camo and starts killing the children. can you imagine the children screaming and then he is reloading and the dead children and there is the children yet to be killed and in this moment just imagine the terror before he kills them. it is so unconscionable. >> geraldo: this is a fox news alert. i'm geraldo rivera live on location in newtown, connected cut. scene of the murder of 20 children. six adults teaching and caring for them. as expressions of horror and sympathy poor in this picturesque new england town for millions of americans from the white house, from leaders around the world, even from the pope himself. we ask why. why would anyone perpetrate this terror against defenseless children? why would anybody massacre boys and girls who cannot comprehend the depraved crime even as it was being inflicted against them. what sole could disregard for the precious young lives he ended on a sunny december morning in connecticut. so today as we grieve the tin

these are children who have never seen evil. these are children who are in the flower of innocence. here is a grown up dressed in camo and starts killing the children. can you imagine the children screaming and then he is reloading and the dead children and there is the children yet to be killed and in this moment just imagine the terror before he kills them. it is so unconscionable. >> geraldo: this is a fox news alert. i'm geraldo rivera live on location in newtown, connected cut. scene of the murder of 20 children. six adults teaching and caring for them. as expressions of horror and sympathy poor in this picturesque new england town for millions of americans from the white house, from leaders around the world, even from the pope himself. we ask why. why would anyone perpetrate this terror against defenseless children? why would anybody massacre boys and girls who cannot comprehend the depraved crime even as it was being inflicted against them. what sole could disregard for the precious young lives he ended on a sunny december morning in connecticut. so today as we grieve the tin

history. >> children, beautiful, beautiful children, who had simply come to school to learn and their day ended a very different way than any of us could possibly have imagined. evil visited this community today. >> and our coverage continues in a moment. we'll be right back. r their children to come out they thought they still alive ,,,,,, [ crickets chirping ] [ traffic passing ] ♪ [ music box: lullaby ] [ man on tv, indistinct ] ♪ [ lullaby continues ] [ baby coos ] [ man announcing ] millions are still exposed to the dangers... of secondhand smoke... and some of them can't do anything about it. ♪ [ continues ] [ gasping ] >>> they wouldn't even let us in the building. one of the cops the worst thing he had ever seen in his career. but it was when they told these parents. all these parents were waiting for their children to come out. they thought they were still alive. there's 20 parents that were just told that their children are dead. it was awful. >> when it comes to mass shootings, america can consider itself a nation of veterans. so we know what comes next. >> a discussion abo

ask your children what they already know and answer questions.ts can share their own feelings in the ways they're coping and find meaningful ways to help others. >> children are resilient. and what really matters now is how we help them understand what's happened, but even more important is the sense of protection and safety that we give them starting this moment and for the next weeks and months. >> for those who witnessed those children who saw, those who covered their eyes and ears to shut out the horror, they need time, love, and prayers. >> president obama said it that parents are going to go home, hug their children, and even to process this as a nation. that's just going to take time. >> we'll bring you much more on the school shooting tragedy here in newtown, connecticut, in just a moment. but first, let's go to cnn's victor blackwell in atlanta for the latest on other stories in the headlines. >> good morning, ali. >>> a controversial referendum is underway in egypt right now. president mohammed morsi headed to the polls today to vote on

we have three children. text. [ text alert ] they're always texting... ha! l-o...l. u r crazy! [ male announcer ] get the season's hottest smartphones, like the droid razr m by motorola. with verizon's share everything plan. and use your smartphone as a hotspot at no extra charge. from america's gift headquarters. walmart. a hotspot at no extra charge. boproductivity up, costs down, thtime to market reduced... those are good things. upstairs, they will see fantasy. not fantasy... logistics. ups came in, analyzed our supply chain, inventory systems... ups? ups. not fantasy? who would have thought? i did. we did, bob. we did. got it. >>> since i've been president, this is the fourth time we have come together to comfort a grieving community torn apart by mass shootings. the fourth time we've hugged survivors, the fourth time we've consoled the families of victims. and in between there have been an endless series of deadly shootings across the country, almost daily reports of victims, many of them children in s

we've pulled our children tight.whatever measure of comfort we can provide, we will provide it. whatever portion of sadness that we can share with you to ease this heavy load, we will gladly bear it. newtown, you are not alone. as these difficult days have unfolded, we've alyou've also id us, stories of strength and resolve and sacrifice. we know that when danger arrived in the halls of sandy hook elementary, the school staff did not flinch, they did not hesitate. dawn hochsprung, mary sherlach, vicky soto, lauren russeau, rachel devino and ann marie murphy, they all responded as we all hoped we might respond in such terrifying circumstances, with courage and with love, giving their lives to protect the children in their care. we know that there were other teachers who barricaded them selves inside classrooms and kept steady through it all. and reassured their students by saying, wait for the good guys, they're coming. show me your smile. and we know that good guys came, the first responders who raced to the scene, h

earn for every children that is taken by the authorities to the children's private children's home even several hundreds of yours per day. backman is an active participant in practically every child case associated with the removal of children from russian mothers in autumn twenty twelve he did everything he could to help honest as he is a good man. yes september two thousand and twelve the finnish social authorities decided to take four children from a loss to see a. woman living very close to him. first they took three children from her when she was pregnant and when she gave birth to the fourth children the newborn child was taking police to children's home where the child was five days of. the russian woman's confusing explanation very general picture to be formed. the alleged reason for the house measures was that her eldest daughter claims to have been beaten by her sudanese father on sunday for their fishel version was that the girl's father allegedly spanked her on the bottom of the full view which up on now to national. they confused two different situations decided misapplied

administration so i'm absolutely against marketing to children but i think that we have been telling you about it. here for state tax was quite broad the tax is quite broad in denmark it went after raw ingredients and i think that that was a move to far butter cheese milk having to pay seventy five extra cents on a pound of butter is a bit much when you and stead go after we're done i was talking about earlier the ubiquitous. not essential products so chips donuts cookies cupcakes things like that being tax i think what it was even more sense and it's a shame in denmark rather than modifying the tax they're now saying let's abandon it completely and let's not look at sugar and i hope that the pendulum will swing back and they'll come up with a more moderate effort then i'll join a jumping ahead yeah and what i want to emphasize here is that doctors in general are in favor of these taxes and doctors represent the full political spectrum as far as i'm concerned this is not a political issue this is a public health issue and we need to be very clear about obesity in our health care cost

these children are our children.will have to coming to and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like regardless of the politics. this evening michelle and i will do what i know every parent in america will do which is hug our children a little tighter and will tell them we love them. and we will remind each other how deeply we love one another. but there are families in connecticut that cannot do that tonight. an they need all of us right now. in hard days to come, the community needs us to be at our best as americans, and i will do everything in my power, as president, to help. while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need to remind them that we are there for them. that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours. may god bless the memory of the victims. and in the words of scripture, heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds. >> president obama speaking earlie

i mean, when things happen to your children and to other people's children -- i can't look at my children's faces now without seeing the faces of every one of their schoolmates and all of their friends and everything that they're doing right now or saying or talking about christmas. i'm thinking, your friends should all be here. and it's just -- it is such -- it is so heavy, so heavy on your heart. >> reporter: the nation feels that way, too. >> yeah. the outpouring of love has been tremendous. i mean, people are calling from all over the world. we're going to need that now. we're going to absolutely need that to be there as a community. we love sandy hook. this is such a great place. and the people are wonderful. and we're just going to have to really embrace each other and open our hearts and open our arms and open the church doors and get everybody praying and togeth together. i think this is something we will get through. i don't think this is something we will ever, ever get over. >> i would like -- i would like also to say that we always felt blessed that our children were at sandy ho

it was going to be dawn's house ultimately with all the children. all the children.nd now it's me. i can't -- i don't think i can do that. >> i want to reiterate to you, george, have you these beautiful daughters and son in laws and grandchildren, and everyone will be here to take care of you, is that right, ladies? >> my job has always been to take care of other people? >> it's all right if some people take care of you for a while? >> no one takes care of me. >> stop being so stubborn. >> in the middle of the day friday, this is how george found out what happened. >> one of the kids came up with a computer and said, something's happening at sandy hook school and your wife's been killed. >> george raced out of school and into a nightmare, like all the families of victims they want to know more. and on this day they have learned more. two teachers who survived said they were having a meeting with dawn when the shots rang out. >> she put herself in jeopardy, and i have been angry about that until the two women i met today, she told them to run to shelter when she confr

with those children. we imagine this will be a difficult day for everyone involved. megyn: there were reports earlier that were touched on of a possible accomplice. and there was some tape of police. these are the lucky ones, the parents who get to take their kids on today and explain to them why 18 of their classmates are dead. there were reports of a second person, perhaps an accomplice. we didn't hear much more about that. now we are getting more reports from other sources for that a second person may be in custody. have they said whether they believe that piece of the investigation is still open? >> what we had heard is that there was a potential second suspect. oftentimes after these major incidents, you have a lot of reports that turn out to be false. a lot of times there is confusion in the midst of things and someone could be running from the scene. someone who may be escaping with their life. people could think that they are fleeing the scene because they are involved. we don't know. we are waiti

i mean, when things happen to your children, and to other people -- i mean, i can't look at my children'saces now without seeing the faces of every one of their school mates. and all of their friends. and everything that they're doing right now or saying or talking about christmas and just thinking -- their friends should all be here. and it's just -- it is such -- it is so heavy. so heavy on your heart. and -- >> the nation feels that way too. >> yeah. the outpouring of love has been tremendous. i mean, people are calling from all over the world. and we're going to need that now. we're going to absolutely need that to be there as a community. we love sandy hook. i mean, this is such a great place. and the people are wonderful. and we're just going to have to really embrace each other and open our hearts and open our arms and open those church doors and just get everybody praying and together. because i mean, i think this is something we will get through. i don't think this is something we will ever, ever get over. >> i would like -- i would like also to say that we always felt blessed th

we've pulled our children tight.nd you must know that whatever measure of comfort we can provide, we will provide. whatever portion of sadness that we can share with you to ease this heavy load, we will gladly bear. newtown, you are not alone. as these difficult days have unfolded, you've also inspired us. the stories of strength and resolve and sacrifice. we know that when danger arrived in the halls of sandy hook elementary, the school's staff did not flinch. they did not hesitate. dawn hochsprung, mary sherlach, vicki soto, lauren rousseau, rachael davino, and anne marie murphy, they responded as we all hoped we might respond in such terrifying circumstances. with courage and with love. giving their lives to protect the children in their care. we know that there were other teachers who barricaded themselves inside classrooms and kept steady through it all. and reassured their students by saying wait for the good guys, they're coming, show me your smile. and we know the good guys came. the first responders who race

there are no reports of injured children. there are reports, however, of three individuals from the school at a nearby danbury hospital. the scene unfolded earlier today when a 911 call came in at 9:41 a.m. and then at 9:57 a.m. there was a reverse 911 call to homes of the students informing them that there was an incident at their school. parents are currently being reunited with their children. police are on the ground missed the school searching room to room. connecticut state police have scheduled a news conference for 1:00 eastern. joining us on the phone, msnbc analyst and former fbi profiler clint van zandt. clint, give us your read, your assessment, on this situation? >> well, we know that the shooter is dead. we don't know whether that is by law enforcement action when the first responding officers went in and confronted him or whether, as we saw in the portland, oregon, mall shooting this past week, whether the shooter actually shot himself committing suicide. we know that at least two handguns were found. you know,

that we're all parents, that they are all our children.ask, caring for our children. our first job. if we don't get that right, we don't get anything right. that's how, as a society, we will be judged. and by that measure, can we truly say, as a nation, that we're meeting our obligations? can we honestly say that we're doing enough to keep our children, all of them, safe from harm? can we claim, as a nation, that we're all together there, letting them know they are loved and teaching them to love in return? can we say that we're truly doing enough to give all the children of this country the chance they deserve to live our their lives in happiness and with purpose? i've been reflecting on this the last few days, and if we're honest with ourselves, the answer's no. we're not doing enough. and we will have to change. since i've been president, this is the fourth time we have come together to comfort a grieving community torn apart by mass shootings. fourth time we've hugged survivors, the fourth time we've consoled the families of victims, a

, children who will not be able to have their own children. you saw a very emotional president obama today. you also heard a bit of a call to action. he talked about the fact that in the wake of this shooting, he would like to see meaningful action to try to prevent these types of tragedies from happening in the future. what specifically did he mean by that? of course, that will evolve in the coming days and weeks. right now, the president clearly focused on extending his condolences, his sympathy to the victims, to all of the people who are suffering right now in connecticut. you also heard him talk at the top of the remarks about the fact that he did reach out to the fbi director, as well as the governor of connecticut offering his sympathy, but also, offering the full support of the federal government as they begin what will undoubtedly be an incredibly long and difficult heal process so president obama becoming quite emotional as he addresses the nation about this most recent gun massacre that has unfolded in connecticut. steve? >> heart b

but to pick children, young, young children, as his victims.about the worst thing you could do. what does that tell you about his motivation? about his stability or instability, obviously? >> certainly, there is an evil just heinous quality to it. and the fact is, it's impossible to predict who will be violent. but risk factors are, individuals who have been exposed to physical abuse, sexual abuse. if there's an underlying psychological impairment, which certainly he was described as odd and in the autism spectrum. if they have access to guns and weapons. and certainly, individuals who may have revenge in their mind. but who wants to hurt innocent children? >> obviously, there's a lot of people in this country that are autistic or haves asperger's syndrome and never commit a violent act. this young man, according to police, is shooting his mother at his home, and getting in the car with his weapons, driving to an elementary school, walking in and shooting kindergartners and first graders. >> i think the premeditative quality of it indicates a f

these children are our children.we are going to have to coming to and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this regardless of the politics. >> president obama on the shooting. the massacre is raising new questions about the access of guns in america. joining me now is my panel. let's start with you. you were pretty outspoken saying this is time to bring in new gun control laws. >> yes. if this doesn't wake us up, i don't know what will. i was heartened that the president said we had to take meaningful action and the only thing he can do is lead a crusade for reasonable gun control legislation in congress. these massacres are taking place more and more often. we saw bay the way today a similar incident in china where a mad man attacked an elementary school in china with a knife with 22 injured children. injured, not dead. that's the difference. in the united states we have 9,000 people killed with guns last year in similar countries like germany, 170 and canada 150. there is a reason for that. >> what

these are children. and we don't take pictures of children without their parents' permission. with the magnitude of the number of kids returning to school, passing behind you there have been school buses. i have seen parents walking their kids to school. how has the media responded to the need for respect of these people's privacy despite the fact that nothing can be really normal? >> reporter: absolutely. we are taking every precaution covering this story and this tremendous tragedy that has rocked this town and the entire nation. we are not going nearby schools. we are not showing kids' faces. we see the pain and agony in so many people's faces as they come here to this make shift memorial in the middle of town to pay respects and condolences to the lives lost in the tragedy. we have talked to parents and students who are willing to talk to us. i have gotten the sense of anxiety of returning back to school today and some parents and students say they are a little nervous and scared but clearly they want to get back to seeing their friends and have that sense of community. >>

, it's like an earthquake drill maneuver you are reassuring the children and moving the children around. >> district psychologists were coaching faculty members in how to see distress in kids. >> let them know every once in a while it happens but rarely happens and there are adults they can go to. >> in san francisco it was gut check time. school officials were reexamining safety plans since the columbine massacre. since then, their tactics have changed. >> we take immediate action. we know that lies are at stake and if there is an immediate shooting, our officers gather and engage. >> overall there was very little panic at local schools but definitely a solemn news that made parents want to be closer to their children today. >>> thanks very much. >>> there is a vigil of one in san jose we want to share with you. remarkable picture, the mother shared this photo. the little girl lighting a candle. some just his change. san jose loves connecticut. that is sandy hook elementary school. >> we have a lot more as the tragedy unfolds. stay with us for continuing coverage. receive urgent update

and she said this is the one of the most important things, children helping children. the pleasing blessin here is that children are very resilient. >>reporter: you wonder how the adults and parents will cope, with them reaching out. a week in tomorrow is christmas day. at what point do the children out of school get back to school? >>jonathan: the school district, classes are open, again tomorrow. in terms of sandy hook elementary, anyone's guess right now. lieutenant vance said it remains very obviously a crime scene but he also said interestingly, it is likely to remain a crime scene, in his words, for months. they do not intends to close down that as a scene of the investigation for a very long time. it remains an open question whether sandy hook elementary school will ever be re-opened. obviously there are arguments on both sides and it is a difficult question that the community will have to grapple with. >>jonathan: terrific report reporting. >> president obama spoke of the 20 victims and said that god has called them all home. today, family and friends attend fu

other people's children, i can't look at my children's faces now without seeing the faces of every ones. ♪ >>> for more information on how you can help all of those affected by this shooting, you can go to cnn.com/impact. let's go to victor blackwell in atlanta with a special guest. >>> it's time for faces of faith. >>> this morning we're talking about turning to faith to find comfort in the face of unimaginable violence. rabbi lesser joins me now. he's from congregation in atlanta. thanks for coming in to speak with us. there are so many questions and so many difficult conversations. people are going to houses of worship. what comfort can your faith offer in a time like this? >> i think as a country we're grieving with the families and this horrible tragedy stirs up our own sense of grief and this possibility of what it would mean if it happened in our community and families. people coming together brings a great deal of strength and comfort. i think prayer. they're not the only vehicle. it's a powerful vehicle to express those really powerful emotions that grief can bring to us. the

these children are our children. we are going to have to coming to and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this regardless of the politics. >> president obama on the shooting. the massacre is raising new questions about the access of guns in america. he is urgently calling for more gun control. a former chief economist on the sentencing commission on more guns, less crime. dan gross president of the brady club for nonviolence. the attorney for the michigan and responsible gun owners. let's start with you. you were pretty outspoken saying this is time to bring in new gun control laws. >> yes. if this doesn't wake us up, i don't know what will. i was heartened that the president said we had to take meaningful action and the only thing he can do is lead a crusade for reasonable gun control legislation in congress. these massacres are taking place more and more often. we saw, by the way, today, a very similar incident in china where a mad man attacked an elementary school in china with a knife. 22 injur

these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods and these children are our children. and we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics. this evening, michelle and i will do what i know every parent in america will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we'll tell them that we love them. and we'll remind each other how deeply we love one another. but there are families in connecticut who cannot do that tonight and they need all of us right now. in our days to come, the community needs us to be at our best as americans and i will do everything in my power as president to help. because, while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one all of us can extend the hand to those in need to remind name we are there for them that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours. may god bless the memory of the victims and in the words of scripture heal the broken hearted and bind up their wounds >> o'do

of course, many of these first responders knew these children, they had kids who were their same children's age, very much touched by this tragedy here in their backyard. they've been coping with it since the day it happened, friday. so many of them remain on the job, still working, taking part in the investigation, many of them, as you know, chris, are meeting with the president tonight. >> yeah. i was so struck when i first got here and there was somebody guarding a checkpoint and kind of a big burly guy who looked very strong and i said to him, we're so sorry for what happened to your community, and, you know, he almost broke down, and my thought is how are the rescue workers dealing with this? and i assume that they have access to counseling and are obviously being supportive of one another? >> yeah. these guys that we spoke to, for the most part, they've been leading the press conferences and said they are still very shaken by what they've seen. they've decided as a group, a unit, to not speak to the media. they say part of the grieving process may be opening up to what they saw down t

be with the child and/or children. and the. >> they are not afraid of him in he is big and by the way is he beautiful. i don't know if you can see his eyes, he was sitting quietly for a few minutes. is he a magnificent dog. you are not worried about a child upsetting him? he won't get upset and won't bite? >> no. is he a very -- therapy dogs one of their qualities are they need to love children. be good around all sorts of activity. he lost children because of the volunteer work doing at a local hospital appropriate to come up and be with the children to help decompress first responders and teachers as well. >> is this new having a dog come in. i don't remember seeing this kind of thing using a dog as therapy. >> no much. it's well documented. not well known many times. in spaticus case first time i considered making him therapy dog 8 months old and autistic child came up to us in new haven green. 8 years old. he stayed with us two and a half hours. he was very articulate. when he left us he aside from this, that may b

we have found several of the children. >> you have actually found children from this?his has to be one of the most rewarding parts you do. >> when i think about this in ret retrospect once my career is over, finding the children when i know the show directly contributed to it, it's a special moment. >> and this speaks to the role of black media in terms of leadership. >> yeah. >> people actually looking to you and to offer advice and insight and leadership on these issues. how do you feel about that relationship? >> this whole process started with me years ago when i was driving trains on the south side of chicago. all the things you see happening with trayvon and others, the seeds were planted long ago. you plant the seeds now you'll be surprised what manifests later. >> how do you make sense of this? in so many ways your story doesn't make sense. about somebody who was an unpaid intern and now suddenly you have eight, nine million listeners all over the world. >> i didn't know that could happen. >> how could you? >> shortly after i started i told the general manager