Lives lost in Sandy Hook shooting remembered four years later

Newtown held a moment of silence Wednesday and flags were flying at half-staff across Connecticut to mark the fourth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

It was Dec. 14, 2012, when 20 children and six educators were killed by a troubled 20-year-old gunman who shot his way into the Connecticut schoolhouse.

Adam Lanza fatally shot his mother before driving to the school, and then killed himself after the rampage.

Newtown typically does not hold an official memorial event on the anniversary, but prayer services were offered Wednesday and a counseling center was open for extended hours.

First Selectman Pat Llodra asked town employees to refrain from doing any work, including answering phones, between 9:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. to mark the time when the shootings took place.

This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 5:17 PM with the headline "Lives lost in Sandy Hook shooting remembered four years later."