Adam Lanza
Adam Lanza was born on April 22, 1992. See ranking, bio blurb, and everyone else born that day.
About Adam Lanza
Adam Peter Lanza (April 22, 1992 – December 14, 2012) was an American mass murderer who perpetrated the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, one of the deadliest mass shootings in US history. On December 14, 2012, he fatally shot his mother, Nancy Lanza, at their home in Newtown, Connecticut, before driving to Sandy Hook Elementary School, where he killed 20 children aged six and seven, and six adult staff members. He then killed himself as law enforcement arrived at the school. Lanza was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, and grew up in Newtown, Connecticut, where he was raised primarily by his mother following his parents' divorce in 2008. From an early age, he was diagnosed with a number of neurodevelopmental conditions, including Asperger syndrome, sensory processing disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). He was described by those who knew him as highly intelligent but profoundly withdrawn. He struggled throughout his childhood and adolescence with social interaction and emotional regulation, and hated to be touched. As a teenager, Lanza became increasingly isolated and stopped attending school. His anxiety led to him being placed on homebound status, where he received instruction at home rather than attending classes. His mother declined treatments recommended by the Yale Child Study Center, preferring to accommodate his preferences rather than forcing him to adapt to social environments and improving his mental health. Lanza developed an intense preoccupation with mass violence, compiling extensive research on prior shootings and maintaining a spreadsheet documenting past attacks. Lanza withdrew from social contact almost entirely in the years before the shooting. Lanza had access to an arsenal of legally purchased firearms belonging to his mother, who was an avid gun enthusiast. Severe mental illness, social isolation, and access to weapons were all identified as contributing factors to the shooting by Connecticut state authorities and the Office of the Child Advocate. The Sandy Hook shooting led to renewed legislative efforts on gun control at both the state and federal level. Nancy Lanza's role in facilitating her son's access to firearms became a significant point of public and legal scrutiny.