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The Situation Room

Three Guns Found Next to Shooter's Body; Family Mmebers of Victim Speak to Press; Remarks by Connecticut Gov. Malloy; Brother of Shooter Wants to Speak Out

Aired December 15, 2012 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're very lucky that all the children, my son included, had the presence of mind to react appropriately, and they basically ran right next to the guy, out the door. And --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They ran past the gunman?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They ran -- he's still standing in the door. And they ran past him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Here in Newtown, Connecticut, you're about to hear amazing, amazing stories of survival. Heart breaking stories of sacrifice and answers that only lead to more questions.

I'm Wolf Blitzer.

We want to welcome our viewers here in the United States and around the world. Here's what we know right now about this dramatic situation of, the massacre that claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults at the Sandy Hook elementary school.

Authorities have just released the full list of the victims' names, 12 girls and eight boys. They were shot and killed. All were either 6 or 7 years old. We're told they were first graders. All six of the adults killed at the school were women.

Just minutes ago, a medical examiner told reporters, all of the victims died of gunshots, and everybody was hit more than once. Three guns were found at the scene, but the medical examiner says all of the wounds he knows of were caused by what he calls the long weapon. That would be the modified semiautomatic rifle, that's the civilian version of the military' M-16.

CNN's national correspondent Susan Candiotti is working her sources. Susan, we're standing by here from the governor of Connecticut, Dan Malloy. But update our viewers on what you're learning.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, today we are learning more from authorities about that they are picking up more evidence, both at the scene, crime scene, as well as at the home that the shooter shared with his mother. And they are trying to -- saying that it is beginning to explain why this happened. Now, they're not revealing exactly what that information is. However, an official with the ATF is telling us that, in fact, more weapons were found at the mother's home.

Now, they are doing complete traces on those weapons. They are not saying that they are directly related to the shooting. But it is providing more of a picture about how everything happened. We have, however, learned from our sources about the three additional weapons that were found at the home. Appear to being found there. And they are all rifles. All rifles. These are in addition to the three weapons that we've already told you about in the last couple of days. Two handguns, a glock and a sig sauer. As well as that semiautomatic known as a bushmaster.

Now, authorities tell us, our sources tell us, that those three weapons were, in fact, found next to the shooter's body at the school. One was not in one of the vehicles outside, but all three were with him. They also do know which one he used to kill himself, according to our sources. But they're not ready to reveal that yet, because they consider it an important part of the investigation. Also at a news conference today, the medical examiner explained how vicious the attacks were. That the victims were shot at close range -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Susan, I'm going interrupt, because the Governor is speaking right now. Dan Malloy, the governor of Connecticut.

GOV. DAN MALLOY, CONNECTICUT: All of Connecticut's people, indeed, the people of the world, weep for the immeasurable losses suffered by the families and loved ones of these victims. Though we could all try, when something as senseless as this occurs, there's precious little anyone can say to the families that will lessen the horror and the sense of loss they feel. We could say we feel their pain, but the truth is, we can't. When tragedies like this take place, people often look for answers, an explanation of how this could have happened.

But the sad truth is, there are no answers. No good ones, anyway. We have all seen tragedies like this play out in other states and in other countries. Each time we have wondered how something so horrific could occur. And we have thanked God that it didn't happen here in our Connecticut. But now, sadly it has. And so what can we do? As was no doubt the case last night, we can hug someone we love a little tighter. As has been happening since yesterday, we can show and share with each other the grief we feel for the children and adults who were killed. And for their families and their loved ones.

We can speak about what's really important, and what can wait for another day. There will be times soon for a discussion of public policy issues surrounding yesterday's events. But what's important right now is love, courage and compassion. Love, as it has poured in from around the world. Courage as it was demonstrated by the teachers and other adults in the school building whose actions no doubt saved lives. Courage on display as it always is by our first responders. Compassion as shown by people from around Connecticut who have arrived in Newtown wanting only to help. Too often, we focus on what divides us as a people. Instead of what binds us as human beings. What we saw yesterday were those bonds. That sense of community. In the coming days, we will rely on that which we have been taught and that which we inherently believe. That we have faith for a reason, and that faith is God's gift to us all. Those educators and those innocent little boys and girls were taken from their families far too soon. Let us all hope and pray those children are now in a place where that innocence will forever be protected. May God bless you. And may God bless those 27 people. May God bless their families and friends. And may the pain their loved ones feel be someday absorbed by the love of all mankind.

BLITZER: The governor of Connecticut, Dan Malloy, speaking to all the people of Connecticut. Did the entire country, about this horrendous tragedy here in Newtown, Connecticut. Tragedy now that is beginning -- the enormity of this tragedy only beginning to be felt with the release of the names of all of the victims, 23 victims, six adults, 20 children. The names have now been released. We're also learning more about the family of the shooter, Adam Lanza.

CNN's Ali Velshi has been talking to neighbors, people who knew this 20-year-old. He's joining us now. Ali, what are you hearing?

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, more questions come out every time we try and find more information out. You can't see the house, it's behind me, behind that police car you see. That's cordoned off, still a crime scene. Police say they have found it quite fruitful what they have learned in here. What we know about Nancy Lanza is that she lived alone with Adam Lanza. The family lived in this hour for about 1998, the whole family, this is Nancy Lanza, her husband Peter Lanza, the son Ryan who is 24-years-old, and Adam, who was 20 years old.

What happened is Peter Lanza left the house at some point a few years ago when they divorced. He doesn't live here anymore. Ryan Lanza, who is 24 years old, went off to work. He lived in Hoboken, New Jersey. We saw that he was taken in for questioning yesterday. That left Adam and Nancy back here. Nancy Lanza worked in finance in Boston and here in Connecticut for some years. But recently she has left work. We don't know whether she was retiring or whether she was taking a break. She did tell acquaintances that she wanted to take care of Adam. Now, we did speak to one neighbor, Gina McDade, who said she didn't find anything unusual about this particular family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GINA MCDADE, NANCY LANZA'S NEIGHBOR: She was a stay-at-home mom who loved her kids. There is no explanation. There was no funny business going on as far as I know.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: They were quiet. Seemingly friendly people. I don't think people in this neighborhood really knew them too well.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Were they -- did they struggle, were they more simple?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I think they were well off, but I can only speculate. I don't know. It's not really my business.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELSHI: That was Gina McDade's son, JP. Now, I'll tell you, the one question that keeps coming up here, this is an upscale, affluent family. What's the connection to all of the guns? Some police sources are saying that Adam may have had access to six guns, two of which were used in the shootings. One which was a semiautomatic rifle, a bushmaster, which was found in the car. And then three other standard rifles, one of them was an M-Field over here. Now, we did speak to a landscaper in the area who had actually been involved in putting up Christmas decorations, a lot of Christmas decorations around here very recently for Nancy Lanza.

Now he said, he told us that Nancy Lanza had shown him a rifle that she had purchased recently, that she was a gun enthusiast, and she liked taking her kids to target practice. We don't know what that means and where that target practice was. We also have word from the ATF that that doesn't seem to be true. So we're just trying to get to the bottom of what role guns had in this family. But for the moment, a lot of these neighbors say they didn't really know them all that well, even though they lived in this house since 1998 -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Since 1998. They have lived there. And they were obviously very quiet, these folks. People didn't -- they weren't very sociable. Is that the impression you're getting?

VELSHI: Yes. You know, initially I thought it was that they weren't sociable. It's just that they weren't very well-known around this area which is interesting. It's a very quiet area, there are no street lights. The only lights you see are from our cameras. It's a quiet area. Both of the sons are said to have enjoyed skateboarding. So, I would figured that meant people would have seen them around here. But we're not actually running into a lot of people who knew them. Now, I'll tell you one thing. These neighbors are being very quiet right now.

Many of them were evacuated or taken out while the crime scene was being combed. And many are in their homes but their lights are off. We see them looking out every now and then. We don't want to be disturbing people who don't want to talk to us. So, we're not getting as much, I mean, maybe they knew more people, maybe their social circle was outside of the neighborhood. It is just unusual that in a place like this, after having lived here for so long, we don't have a lot of people coming forward and saying, we really knew them, here's what they were like. So, we don't really have a full picture yet.

It is unfolding, it is developing. The key thing here is we know that Nancy stopped working recently. We're not quite sure why. And we're trying to get to the bottom of that, Wolf.

BLITZER: Ali Velshi. Ali, thanks very much. We'll stay in close touch with you. There is certainly going to be a lot of attention on the semiautomatic rifle, like the one that the medical examiner just said was used to shoot every one of the victims.

Our crime and justice correspondent Joe Johns has more on the guns used in the shooting. Joe, tell us what you're learning.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the bushmaster .223 is a well-known semiautomatic rifle used by the beltway snipers more than a decade ago to wreak havoc here around the Washington, D.C. area. It looks like a military weapon, certainly formidable, but it has elements that clearly make it a hunting weapon. And now the medical examiner in Connecticut says, all the wounds he knows of came from, quote, "the long gun," which according to our understanding, is the bushmaster. Which was confiscated from the shooting scene and apparently caused all the injuries to the victims, the medical examiner saw.

One of the questions we're asking right now is whether that bushmaster .223 found on the scene would have been banned, either under the old federal assault weapons ban that passed during the Clinton administration and expired during the George W. Bush years. We asked a former top official of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms about that. And he said it just depends on how the gun was outfitted, and some of these things we don't know yet. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE BOUCHARD, FORMER ASSISTANT ATF DIRECTOR: Under the assault weapon ban, a weapon like the bushmaster would only have been banned if it had things like a folding stock, extended magazine, more than ten rounds, I believe. Or -- other than fixed sights, those kinds of things. Those would have caused it to have been banned before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: OK. So he's talking about the old federal ban. Now, Bouchard says, the state of Connecticut has its own assault weapons ban, but this bushmaster found at the scene might not have been covered by that either. The bushmaster rifle certainly can be construed as a sporting rifle to shoot small animals. The weapon Adam Lanza was using basically might have been totally legit under past and present law -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And the weapons that were found that they were believed they were all purchased legally, right?

JOHNS: Right. Legally by Nancy Lanza. The mother of Adam Lanza. She, of course, was found dead. So it does appear that those were purchased legally by the mother, Adam Lanza apparently would have been too young. We also do have that report that Adam Lanza tried to purchase a gun at a dick's sporting goods store earlier this week but was not able to do that -- Wolf.

BLITZER: You know, it's hard to believe that this is going on, Joe. As we take a look at the big picture, the gun debate certainly will be intensified as a result of what's going on. But Connecticut has among the toughest gun laws in the country, right?

JOHNS: That's right. Connecticut has a very strict gun law there. And that's part of the reason why authorities were able to go back and trace so quickly to find out that at least the three weapons we knew about as of yesterday had been purchased by the mother. That would be the sig sauer as well as the glock, along with this bushmaster. So they were able to figure out pretty quickly, due to Connecticut law, who had purchased these weapons. Nonetheless, this still happened. Of course, that's all part of the weapons debate, as you know, in the United States. And twice now over the past 24 hours the president has made reference to some type of common sense laws that the country is going to have to consider in the days ahead.

BLITZER: This debate is going to intensify. There is no doubt about that. Thanks very much for that, Joe. Our own Kate Bolduan, she is also here in Newtown, Connecticut. And she has spoken with a family that had two children in that elementary school, and for a long time could find only one of them.

The kids started to come out. And when I saw her, you know, the sense of relief is incredible, but it's really short-lived, because I still have one in there. And I'm waiting for him to come. And he didn't come out. And I didn't see his teacher and I didn't see his classmates.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Family members of a six-year-old who was killed at the elementary school now are speaking out. Listen in.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I hopped into an airplane and left. I didn't know the status of my niece until we arrived in Atlanta on our way to come here. And it was unimaginable. And as we shed tears in Atlanta, we had no idea that this was something that the whole country knew about or even heard about. And we were getting hugs and support through the Atlanta airport. We were ushered in through. We were given so many words of compassion and caring from others, strangers. It was unbelievable.

My brother-in-law would like to say some words, but before I have him talk, I just want to say that Emily Alice Parker was the sweetest little girl I have ever known. My children are grieving. My siblings across the country are grieving. And we're just devastated that someone so beautiful and perfect is no longer going to be in our lives. And for no reason. And we can only pray we find understanding in the days and weeks to come. And one day find peace. But we were all blessed to have known her. And to have had her in our lives.

There's been a fund that was set up by members of our families and friends back in Utah that people have been donating to, and we would like to thank all of you for your donations to that. We're hoping to be able to use that to bring Emilie back to Utah for her final resting place with her family there. And we want to thank all of you who made those donations. I will turn this to Robbie Parker.

BLITZER: We're waiting to hear from the father now of this six-year- old Emilie Parker. Emilie Parker was shot and killed in the elementary school yesterday. That was -- that was Emilie Parker's aunt who was speaking, and her father, Emilie Parker's father, Robbie Parker is going to be speaking right now. The family wanted to speak and wanted to make it clear that they wanted to remember little Emilie Parker, and we just heard what a wonderful young little six-year-old girl she was. How sad of a story this is.

It gets sadder and sadder as we learn more details of these young kids and the six adults who were shot and killed at that school. Twenty six victims, 20 children. Six and seven-year-old first graders mostly shot for no reason at all. And six adults, mostly teachers, all women, shot and killed, as well. Once again, Robby Parker, the father of six-year-old Emilie Parker, is supposed to come to the microphones. I assume he's consoling the sister right now. And he will have the strength -- this is the decision that the Parker family wanted to do.

They wanted to come to the microphones. They wanted to speak about Emilie Parker. And that is something that we have seen now that -- presumably we'll see a little bit more, people wanting to remember their loved ones and speaking out. It's not unusual in a situation like this. I remember at Virginia tech when I went out there, parents, loved ones of slain young people wanted to remember their sons and their daughters, and as a result they spoke and made a statement. So, we'll see if Robby Parker -- I assume he's going to come out to the microphones now. And make a statement. It looks like the family is there. And they're getting ready to make -- to come to the microphone. So, we'll listen in.

ROBBIE PARKER, FATHER OF SHOOTING VICTIM EMILIE PARKER: OK. So my name is Robbie Parker. My family is one of the families that lost a child yesterday in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings here in Connecticut. I've been contacted by so many people and agencies wanting to know how we're doing and I just thought that this might be the best way to share those feelings with everybody. First of all, I would really like to offer our deepest condolences to all of the families who were directly affected by this shooting.

It's an horrific tragedy, and we want everybody to know that our hearts and our prayers go out to them. This includes the family of the shooter. I can't imagine how hard this experience must be for you. And I want you to know that our family and our love and our support goes out to you as well. At this time, our thanks go out to so many people, so many friends and family. And complete strangers who we don't know. For all the love, condolences and is support that you have given to us.

My daughter Emilie would be one of the first ones to be standing and giving her love and support to all those victims. Because that's the type of person that she is. Not because of any parenting that my wife and I could have done. But because those were the gifts that were given to her by her heavenly father. As the deep pain begins to settle into our hearts, we find comfort reflecting on the incredible person that Emilie was, and how many lives she was able to touch in her short time here on earth. Emilie was bright, creative and very loving. Emilie was always willing to try new things, other than food.

She loved to use her talents to touch the lives of everyone she came into contact with. She was an exceptional artist, and she always carried around her markers and pencils so that she never missed an opportunity to draw a picture or make a card for those around her. I can't count the number of times Emilie noticed someone feeling sad or frustrated and would rush to find a piece of paper to draw them a picture or to write them an encouraging note. Emilie's card-making was expressed beautifully this last October when she placed a very special card that she had made into the casket with her grandpa, who also just recently died of a tragic accident.

Emilie was a mentor to her two little sisters in delighting and teaching them how to read, dance and find the simple joys in life. Emilie's laughter was infectious, and all those who had the pleasure to meet her would agree that this world has a better place because she has been in it. As we move on from what happened here, what happened to so many people, let it not turn into something that defines us. But something that inspires us to be better, to be more compassionate, and more humble people. Let us please keep the sentiments of love we feel for our families and the compassion that we feel for others, even complete strangers, and keep them with us at all times.

Not just in times of sorrow and tragedy. And may we do this so that we can better all of our communities and all of our cities and all our states so that we can make everyone everywhere in this country feel safe. Thank you. I would be happy to answer any questions, as long as I see them to be within reason.

(INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

I was leaving to work, and she woke up before I left. And I've actually been teaching her Portuguese. And so our last conversation was in Portuguese. And she told me good morning, and asked how I was doing. And I said that I was doing well. She said that she loved me. And I gave her a kiss and I was out the door.

(INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

The best way that I've been seeing that is I have two really good friends at home who have set up a Facebook page to help raise money for Emilie. And when I've gotten on that and just seen the number of people who have commented and expressed their condolences, it's been quite overwhelming.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Can you describe what your daughter looked like for us?

PARKER: There's lots of pictures on the Emilie Parker fund page on Facebook. She was beautiful. She was blonde, always smiling. Bright blue eyes.

(INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

Here at the church last night, there was a special meeting, and I was given an opportunity to be able to speak at that, as well. And in that, I just mentioned that, you know, the person that chose to act in this way was acting with a God-given right that he was given by God to -- with his own free agency. And that free agency is given to all of us to act and choose to do whatever we want. And God can't take that away from us. And I know that that's something that he was given and that's what he chose to do with it.

And I know that God can't take that away. I'm not mad. Because I have my agency to make sure that I use this event to do what I can to do whatever I can. So, I want to make sure that my family and my wife and my daughters are taken care of and that if there's anything that I can do to help anybody at anytime, anywhere, that I would be willing to do that.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Mr. Parker, you talk about your daughter. Your other daughters, I wonder if you could talk about them.

PARKER: As un-cheesy as I can say that, she was their best friend. They were all born within three years of each other. So by law, they're very close. She was teaching my middle daughter to read. She would help my youngest daughter learn how to make things, show her how to do crafts. They looked up to her. And they looked to her when they needed comfort. Usually that's saved for a mom and dad. But it was really sweet to see the times when one of them would fall or one of them would get their feelings hurt, how they would run to Emilie to get support and hugs and kisses.

(INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: You know, it's hard for me to talk about, because I was at work at the hospital. And the hospital was in lockdown, so I couldn't get to the school right away.

I love the people at the school. I love Emilie's teacher, and the classmates that we were able to get to know. I love all of them. And my prayers go out to all of those people.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Is there anything you want to share with the other parents?

PARKER: The only thing I can say to other parents is the comfort we can find, that at least we know there's other people that are in the same boat that we are, that there's other people that know how you're feeling. And even though we are going through it differently and our emotions might be different, and we're going to process this whole thing differently, we're in this together and we're forever linked by this event.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Have you spoken to your other children about what happened?

PARKER: Yes, we were able to -- you know, with the events that happened with my father-in-law recently, and this is unfortunately a topic that's been discussed in our family over the last couple months. So with my daughters, we have been able to express to them what happened. Their understanding is a little limited, of course. But they seem to get the fact that they have somebody that they're going to miss very much.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: The what? I'm sorry.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Emilie's teacher. PARKER: You know, with respect to her family, I'm not going to say her name or anything. I met her at parent-teacher conference a couple weeks ago, and was so impressed with the fact that she really seemed to know Emilie as a person, Emilie's likes and dislikes and things she was good at and things that frustrated her. And is the way she talked about Emilie like that, I know without a doubt, she knew all other 16 kids in the classroom the exact same.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: You know, the word of this gets out in the afternoon, and our family is from out west. Getting them here in a timely manner was kind of difficult. The fact that, you know, airline agencies were bending over backwards and breaking rules, which they never do, was quite amazing. People -- just seeing my family in the airport and realizing that something was wrong, but not knowing exactly what was wrong and giving them hugs and their support, you know -- everything, from people getting out of line in the security line to let them pass and moving seats on the airplane so they could sit together, those kind of things were very greatly appreciated. And anybody that provided those for my family, I just thank you so much.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: She was the type of person that could just light up a room. She always had something kind to say about anybody. And her love and strength she gave us, and the example she showed to us is remarkable. She is an incredible person. And I'm so blessed to be her dad.

I guess that's it.

Yes?

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: I don't know. I don't know how to get through something like this. My wife and I don't understand how to process all of this and how to get our lives going. You know, we find strength in our religion and in our faith, and in our family. And I think that everybody that's going through something like this has, hopefully, support with their family, and with what other means they can find. I just hope everybody can get the help they need.

Since nobody knows how to go through this, I think it's really important that people reach out to the services that have been provided to all of us for counseling and somebody to talk to and understanding how to talk to your children and those kind of things. I really hope that all of us utilize those things that have been offered to us.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: I had a 3, 4 and 6-year-old.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION) PARKER: It went from something that, you know, I -- I can't imagine this is happening. This has to be some sort of mistake. What was hard, since I was at work, I was having to talk to my wife on the phone. And just trying to know what was the right thing to do. You know, we didn't -- I didn't think it was that big a deal at first. I thought, with the first reports that were coming in, it didn't sound like it was going to be as tragic as it was. And then as we weren't given information, it started to settle in that it was a much tougher experience for everybody. And so that was kind of what it was like for us.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: I'm -- I'm proud to say that I'm a physician assistant and I work in the Danbury-Newborn Intensive Care Unit. I'm 30 years old.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: The best thing that I can think of to do to move on is to help other people. When you help other people, you feel better about yourself. And the more people help other people, then the more people are blessed. And when your life feels blessed, you feel like you can take on the world.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: You work at the Danbury Hospital?

PARKER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: You work with newborns?

PARKER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: I was at work when my wife called me. And then I was able to find a television and start trying to get any information I can.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Were you there when any of the children --

PARKER: I wasn't. I don't work in the emergency room, so I wasn't involved with any of that.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: You know what's interesting about that, my family just moved to Newtown about eight months ago, when I accepted the job here. So the impression I got from people on the east coast was a lot different from what I experienced when I got here, that's for sure. Everybody that -- everything that everybody was telling me out west was that I was in for a rude awakening. But the people here have been amazing. And I've never met so many people that were willing to help us when we moved here, to get established, to getting to know me and my family. I truly love it here. And I'm glad to be here.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION) PARKER: I keep hearing that. I haven't really had the television on much or anything like that. So I don't quite understand or grasp the grandness of the -- of everybody's support from around the world, other than just the feeling that we get with everybody's prayers.

UNIDENTIFIED NEWS CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE QUESTION)

PARKER: You know, you can never stop being the best parent you can be. You can always be better. You can always be more patient. You can always be more loving and understanding, and willing to accept your children for who they are. I really hope that as I continue to be a dad to my two children that I can just -- if anybody looks back on my life, the number-one thing they can say about me was that I was a great dad and that my children loved me because of the father I was.

Thanks, guys.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Robbie Parker, whose daughter, 6-year-old Emilie Parker -- you see here there -- was shot and killed yesterday.

Sanjay Gupta watched with me, our chief medical correspondent.

Sanjay, what can you say? This is one father, one parent. 19 other children were murdered yesterday here in Newtown, Connecticut, as well. And his powerful words certainly resonate.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: He said she liked to carry around crayons and paper and she would make a card for people when they were frustrated and not feeling well.

He said he talked about his three daughters, you know, 3, 4 and 6. And he said 6-year-old daughter -- he still talks about her, obviously. This is so, so raw for him.

I have three daughters myself, Wolf, as you know. I just can't imagine.

We talk so much, Wolf, about how people are going to overcome something like this. It is just so -- it is just -- it's so unhuman to think that you outlive your children. And I don't know how, you know -- when you hear him talk like that, he wants to empower himself. He wants to turn this into some sort of -- you know, he wants to turn it into something where he can help other people. And that's how he's going to help get himself through this.

But I didn't think I would be able to do this live shot with you, Wolf. Just listening to him, you know, it's just so tough to hear. And like you said, we're going to hear that so many more times over the next few days.

BLITZER: Emilie Parker, only one of 20 kids.

GUPTA: April of 2006, since she was born.

BLITZER: Hard to believe.

Sanjay, stand by.

Sanjay is going to be with us. We're going to continue our special coverage here from Newtown, Connecticut, right after this.

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BLITZER: Amidst the tragedy here at this elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, we're learning an incredible story of survival.

Kate Bolduan is here in Newtown, as well. She spoke with the family of a very brave 6-year-old.

Kate, this is an amazing story. I want you to share it with all of our viewers.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A very brave 6-year-old boy. I sat down with Robert and Diane Licata. They have two children at Sandy Hook Elementary, a second grader and first grader. Their 6-year-old son, Aiden, was in Vicki Soto's first-grade class. We now know she is one of the victims of this tragic shooting. And we are also told by Aiden's parents that this young boy, 6 years old, came face-to-face with the killer.

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DIANE LICATA, PARENT: What had happened is, when I got to the school and realized it was Sandy Hook, I pulled down Dickenson Drive as far as I could. I couldn't get all the way. I drove over the curb and into the firehouse parking lot and I said, "It's here, it's here. There's been a shooting here."

And I saw the EMTs working on a little boy and I knew it wasn't our son, because I knew from the clothes. So I ran to the school and, you know, the chaos is indescribable. I mean, it's like living through Columbine, everything you've seen on TV.

So as the children start to come out, you know, single-file, class by class, group by group, when you see their teacher -- I saw my daughter's teacher, and she wasn't -- my daughter wasn't with her teacher. And I grabbed her teacher and I asked her where she was, and she said she didn't know, because she wasn't with the class.

So the kids start to come out and when I saw her, you know, the sense of relief is incredible, but it's really short-lived because I still have one in there. And I'm waiting for him to come. And he didn't come out. And I didn't see his teacher and I didn't see his classmates. And so as a parent, you know, I hugged my daughter and I said, you know -- I told her to hug her friend who was in her class, and I said, go to the fire station, daddy is coming. And I'm going to wait for Aiden. I'm going to wait. And he didn't come out.

So you know, when you're standing there waiting, and no one will tell you anything, it's an indescribable feeling of helplessness. You know, we are very lucky, because I think I was there an hour, and then the group stopped coming. And I just knew no one else was coming out of that school. I just knew in my heart. And I actually received a text from a friend that said that he was at the police station and he was safe there, and one of the groups of kids that ran and got out, and had been picked up. And so when we went there and I saw him for the first time, it was just an incredible feeling of relief. And I feel so blessed. It's just a feeling of blessing.

ROBERT LICATA, FATHER: A miracle.

BOLDUAN: It truly is.

ROBERT LICATA: Angels on their shoulders. Those children who got out of that classroom, it was a blessing. Indescribable.

DIANE LICATA: It's an amazing feeling. And you feel so relieved. But at the same time, you know that others can't share that feeling. And you just -- your heart doesn't know which direction to go. They're friends, their neighbors.

ROBERT LICATA: It was all so -- the magnitude of what's happened, not just for us, but for everyone in this community hasn't even been felt yet, because the children eventually will learn about their friends and their teacher and others that they know. And, you know, we -- we parents need to do the best to prepare our children for that and explain in the best way we can that makes sense to them what's happened and how to kind of help them through that process.

BOLDUAN: From what you've been told by your son and what you know now, what happened?

ROBERT LICATA: According to Aiden, they went through their normal day. They did their circle time, their -- where they introduce each other. They did their message.

DIANE LICATA: Over the loud speaker.

ROBERT LICATA: And they were doing their announcement over the loud speaker. And that's when they heard noises that he described as -- initially, they thought were hammers falling. Then they realized that it was gunshots.

And Ms. Soto, who is Aiden's teacher, had the presence of mind to move all of the children to a distance away from the door on the side of the room furthest away from the door. And that's when the gunman burst in. Did not say a word. No facial expressions. And proceeded to shoot their teacher. At that time, the children, from an early age are taught, when they see a person with a gun, you run and you call 911. And that's -- and they practice it in school with their fire emergency drills and everything. And we're very lucky that all the children, my son included, had the presence of mind to react appropriately. And they basically ran right next to the guy out the door and --

BOLDUAN: They ran past the --

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BOLDUAN: Well, we're clearly having some technical difficulties. And we'll bring more of my interview with Robert and Diane.

But you can just see kind of the process that these families went through as they learned of this -- something was wrong at this school. And then as they run to find their children. And it was really difficult to hear them re-play it.

And the part right there, Wolf, that I think is really important to tell our viewers, as their son saw this shooter shoot his teacher, he somehow had the presence of mind, Wolf, for he and several of his classmates, a six-year-old boy, to run past the shooter and run out of the school and eventually run to safety.

It truly is a miracle, they say. They say angels were in that classroom to get their son out yesterday morning. But they know that so many families are not as lucky as they were. And they share in that grief. And that is why they really wanted to sit down with me this morning, because they wanted to not only talk about how blessed they are, but to also to send their condolences, and show that there is a lot of healing and grieving that still needs to go on in this town.

BLITZER: They wanted to share their story. They wanted to share what was going on with all of us, and let us know what exactly happened, because it was so important to them. It was not a situation where you had to coax them or convince them or talk them into this. This was their idea.

BOLDUAN: They're a great family, and they're very protective of their children. And they did not want their children interviewed. And, of course, we respected that. I did have a chance to meet their children and kind of actually play a little bit with Aiden this morning. He is a remarkable young boy. And these are two very strong parents. They acknowledged to me they have a very rough road ahead, even for their family, to figure out how they, as parents, and as human beings will learn how to deal with this tragedy. Because they -- they say they don't know -- you know, no one is prepared for this type of thing, Wolf. That is the understatement of the year -- Wolf?

BLITZER: We're going to have more of your interview, Kate, coming up later here in our special Saturday "Situation Room."

In the meanwhile, our special coverage will resume right after this.

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BLITZER: We're here in Newtown, Connecticut. We're getting more reaction, the incredible fallout from this horrible, horrible tragedy that occurred here yesterday in the elementary school, 26 people were shot, six of them adults, 20 children. And we now have the names of everyone who was killed.

Sanjay Gupta is watching and listening and wondering what is going on, like all of us.

Sanjay, at the top of the hour, near the top of the hour, we're going to be hearing from the brother of Nancy Lanza, she is the mother of twenty-year-old Adam Lanza. The brother in New Hampshire wants to speak out. He's a police officer. We're going to hear what he has to say, but another powerful story, I assume, from a perspective from the Lanza family.

GUPTA: Yes, we obviously haven't heard much from them at all. It's a big question mark. People keep asking this question, why. And I don't know that he can provide an answer. And as you and I talked about earlier, I'm not sure it is even knowable, that anything is going to be satisfying. But a lot of people are curious to hear from him, as well, and try and figure out if there is anymore sort of sense of all of this.

BLITZER: And you're a highly trained -- you're a neurosurgeon. You study the brain. And I don't know if you can make any sense of what triggers somebody to go into a school like that and just start killing young kids.

GUPTA: I can't, you know. And I think, you know, that there will be a lot of discussion about this, I think, in terms of looking at possible causes, even medical causes, whether it be mental illness or something.

But it is just so hard to say, Wolf, and we have covered so many tragedies like this. And I think it is distinctly unsatisfying. And I say that now because I think that now people sort of expect that there is going to be some absolute answer to what has happened here. And I just don't think that there is.

And even as a medical scientist, we're so used to saying, OK, here is that blockage, let's open up that blockage, or here is how this needs to be treated. And sometimes we just don't have that in certain situations like this.

BLITZER: Because I assume they will do an autopsy on Adam, and they'll take a look at him. I mean, if you were involved, what would you look for? You're a neurosurgeon.

GUPTA: He's a young man. Obviously, you would want to see if there was something obvious, what we call organic --

BLITZER: In the brain you mean?

GUPTA: -- in the brain, specifically. I think they're going to look at specifically what happened to him in terms of how he died, specifically. I think it's going to be obvious. But --

BLITZER: Well, he took his own life.

GUPTA: He took his own life. But they will look for that, as well. But, again, I think it is unlikely, would be my guess, that they can say this is an explanation, in some way, of all of this.

BLITZER: Like a physical explanation?

GUPTA: Yes, whether there was something inhibiting judgment or something that would cause some sort of problem like this. But even if you did find something like that, to take an organic thing, and to, say, translate that to a sort of behavioral thing, it is just hard -- Wolf?

BLITZER: You were over at one of the crisis centers that was established here today, and talking to some of the medical professionals.

GUPTA: I didn't know what to expect, Wolf, I have to be honest, because this is a town that is grieving. I can tell you that this crisis center set up in an elementary, obviously, not the elementary school where this took place, but rather Reid (ph) Elementary School was completely full, Wolf. The parking lot was full. We saw families going in. We didn't film them, obviously, out of respect for their privacy. But they were going in and I also noticed they were staying for quite some time as well, psychologists, psychiatrists, child counselors.

One of the things people were telling us was this idea that the community itself could be a source of healing. Just simply knowing that people were seeking counseling and they were all going through it together also provided a lot of comfort to these people. So I think that is part of the reason they decided to do this here.

BLITZER: Sanjay, stay with me, don't go away.