The 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting killed approximately 27 people , numerous media outlets covering the event by focusing on the shooter ’s identity , connections with the school and relationship with family members . The Sandy Hook shooter , Adam Lanza , was active in online commentary about U.S. mass shootings , posting in forums about his studies into the personality and global attention rampage shooters received for their crime , posting spreadsheets of over 500 rampage shooters , with the accompanying caption “ my favourite mass shooters ” . Minutes following the mass shooting , media coverage of the event began . Misinformation in the media resulted in numerous media outlets identified the shooter as Adam Lanza ’s brother , resulting in the circulation of pictures and video footage sourced from Ryan ’s social media . Investigations conducted by the FBI ’s Behaviour Analysis Unit found that the Sandy Hook shooter had begun investigation into active shooters in U.S. history in 2011 , with the search indicating that infatuation and primary inspiration for his mass homicide included Columbine , Aurora Movie Theatre and Virginia Tech shooters
2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting
Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
Mass shooting contagion