The Newtown Community’s Reaction to the Unconscionable Tragedy on 12/14

Indianapolis, IN

The primary focus of this study was to examine the community of Newtown, Connecticut after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting tragedy on December 14, 2012. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with Newtown community members aged 18 and older. Past literature on school shootings has mainly focused on the perpetrator rather than on the community's reaction to the event and there has been no study conducted specifically on the Newtown tragedy. It is important to focus on the community that the tragedy affected and how it heals overtime. The study expands literature on the solidarity, grief and worldwide support of a community after an unforeseen tragedy. The in-depth interviews included open-ended questions such as, what was the atmosphere of the community in the hours after the tragedy, how respondents felt the community's reaction was to the presence of the media, and whether there are any differences in the community a year after the tragedy on 12/14. The interviews revealed the community members attitudes towards the aftermath of the tragedy and the community's reaction. Preliminary findings show individuals' pride of the Newtown community, the solidarity of the community and also the shared grief after the tragedy. One of the most predominant preliminary findings was community members' desire and need to help others; mainly helping the families that were most affected but also their community members. The tragedy has shown that in Newtown even in the absolute darkest of days a helping hand will always come out.