TODAY MARKS THE six-month anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, which left 20 children and six teachers dead.
Some of the families and locals are expected to attend a remembrance morning in Newtown later, where a moment of silence is to be followed by a rally for measures in Congress to curb gun violence.
Twenty-six playgrounds are being built around the region to mark the tragedy. Each playground will showcase each of the victim’s likes and interests — everything from the moon to flamingos.
The families have agreed to participate in the project, led by a New Jersey firefighters union. For some, it has been a way to channel their grief as they prepare to mark half a year without their loved ones.
The shootings took place on 14 December last, when deranged 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot his mother and then drove to Sandy Hook and opened fire on innocent children and school workers.
The shootings were initially seen by many as a watershed moment that could swing public opinion behind national curbs on gun ownership.
However, support has wilted in Congress, with a proposal to ban military style assault weapons and to limit the size of ammunition clips failing to gain traction.
- AP
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