Rifle in Conn. massacre similar to DC sniper

My Fox Spokane Biz
Rifle in Conn. massacre similar to DC sniper

By By DAVE COLLINSAssociated Press

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. 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 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Most Popular Stories

Obama To Visit Tornado-Ravaged OK Town

Obama To Visit Tornado-Ravaged OK Town
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama will travel to tornado-ravaged Moore, Okla., on Sunday.    That's according to a White House official, who wasn't authorized to publicly discuss the trip ahead of the official announcement and requested anonymity.    A

I-5 bridge collapses into Wash. river, injuring 3

I-5 bridge collapses into Wash. river, injuring 3
By MANUEL VALDES and MIKE BAKERAssociated Press MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) - An Interstate 5 bridge over a river collapsed north of Seattle Thursday evening, dumping two vehicles into the water and sparking a rescue effort by boats and divers as three injured people were pulled from the chilly

Flooding forces evacuation of 1,300 in ND town

Flooding forces evacuation of 1,300 in ND town
By BLAKE NICHOLSON and DAVE KOLPACKAssociated Press BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A dam that threatened to give way and flood a North Dakota town was holding back the water on Wednesday, though the 1,300 residents of Cavalier were still being told to stay away from their homes. Steady rainfall between