Rifle In Conn. Massacre Similar To D.C. Sniper
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Weapons used by Connecticut gunman Adam Lanza, who killed 20 children and six school workers Friday after killing his mother at their home, is similar to those used in the D.C. sniper shootings in 2002. Lanza committed suicide in Sandy Hook Elementary School.
The primary murder weapon:
-- Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, a civilian version of the military's M-16 and a model commonly seen at marksmanship competitions. It's similar to the weapon used in a recent shopping mall shooting in Oregon. Two men convicted in a series of sniper killings in the Washington, D.C.-area in 2002 also used a Bushmaster .223-caliber rifle that they fired from the trunk of a car at randomly picked victims. Lanza was carrying multiple 30-round magazines, police said, though higher capacity ones are available.
Also found in the school near Lanza's body:
-- Glock 10 mm: A larger and more powerful weapon than the widely popular 9 mm, it is in many respects similar to the 9 mm. It is a lightweight and comparatively affordable weapon that is often used for target shooting and for personal protection. Lanza killed himself with a shot to the head from this pistol, according to a state official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the source was not authorized to disclose details of the investigation.
-- Sig Sauer 9 mm: Considered an upper-tier, quality product, it's comparatively expensive, and its range of uses includes elite military and police units.
Found in the vehicle Lanza drove to the school:
-- A fourth weapon, a shotgun.
Also:
-- The gunman's mother was found dead in her pajamas in bed, shot four times in the head with a .22-caliber rifle, said the Connecticut official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
