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Shooting At Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School

This story was updated at 1:40 p.m. NEWTOWN, Conn. - Twenty-seven people, including at least 18 children, were killed during a shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, according to reports.

Parents walked their children out of Sandy Hook Elementary school Friday afternoon.

Parents walked their children out of Sandy Hook Elementary school Friday afternoon.

Photo Credit: Julie Curtis
Photo Credit: Andrea Graziano
Photo Credit: Julie Curtis
Photo Credit: Julie Curtis
Photo Credit: Jes Siart
Mergim Bajraliu, 17, told The Daily Voice about seeing a bloody girl being carried from the scene.

Mergim Bajraliu, 17, told The Daily Voice about seeing a bloody girl being carried from the scene.

Photo Credit: Julie Curtis

Authorities on the scene told The Daily Voice Friday afternoon that the school had been cleared Friday morning and  parents were taking their children home. 

Police were first called to Sandy Hook Elementary School at about 9:40 a.m. Some reports say the shooter has been killed and CNN reported that two weapons were recovered from his body. Another report said police surrounded a purple van at 33 Crosby St. in Danbury that may be connected to Newtown school shooting.

Mergim Bajraliu, 17, said he went to the school to get his 9-year-old sister. He said he was one of the first people to arrive at the school and saw troopers carrying a bloodied girl out of the building. His sister, who was not hurt in the incident, told him she was told to cover her eyes while being rushed from the school.

"It's disgusting. It's sick how a person can have such a cold heart to do this," Bajrialu said. "This is going to stay with them for the rest of their lives."

Danbury Hospital officials said three people were being treated there but would not comment on the nature of their injuries or severity.

One fourth grade boy told The Daily Voice that he heard a lot of "bangs" and hid in the library. He said he ducked under shelves before police and the librarian brought him out.

Parent Lisa Procaccini of Sandy Hook said her 8-year-old daughter was in the building Friday morning and heard what she thought was banging. The teacher told the students that the noise was a hammer and tried to keep the students calm, Procaccini said. The teacher brought the students into a bathroom, Procaccini said, and the children were brought outside.

Procaccini said her daughter saw a boy who had blood on his foot while being brought outside. She said the blood was from being cut by glass, not a gun shot.

Colleen Poundstone, a resident of Riverside Road, which leads up to the school, said she saw five kids - two boys and three girls - run through her back yard around 9:30 Friday morning. She said they had come through the local park, Sandy Hook Athletic Club field, which is near the school.

"They all looked upset," she said. "They said 'I just want to go home, I just want to go home."

Connecticut State Police said Lt. J. Paul Vance, the department spokesperson would hold a news conference at the scene at about 1:30 p.m.

Hundreds of law enforcement officials were at Sandy Hook Elementary Friday. Crying parents and children were seen walking out of the school. Two helicopters were flying above the scene.

Officials from the ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI were at the scene. 

The district has canceled afternoon kindergarten and mid-day busing, according to its website.

Schools in neighboring Bethel were on lockdown Friday.

"This is unreal," Dobbs Ferry native Mike Rajendran said on Facebook. "My nephew is in the Connecticut school where the shooting just occurred. Just getting word that they are reuniting some parents and their kids. What is going on?"

Check back with The Daily Voice for updates.

The Daily Voice reporters Jes Siart, Julie Curtis, Melvin Mason, Alfred Branch and Greg Canuel contributed to this report.

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