Facts are murky, to say the least, surrounding today's mass killing at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Here, a rundown of the basic facts we know now:

  • Eighteen children were killed in the school. Two died at the hospital. Six adults were killed in the school. The shooter was also found dead, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot. Twenty-seven dead in all.
  • The shooter was reportedly armed with a .223 caliber rifle, as well as two handguns.
  • There has been a ton of confusion surrounding the identity of the shooter. Initial reports pointed to 24-year-old Ryan Lanza. But now, the very latest official reports from the AP confirm that the shooting suspect is 20-year-old Adam Lanza, Ryan's younger brother. Ryan Lanza is reportedly being questioned by police in Hoboken. There are no confirmed photos of Adam Lanza yet.
  • We cannot say for sure that the Ryan Lanza whose picture initially rocketed around the world is, in fact, the brother of shooter Adam Lanza. But his details do appear to match the Ryan Lanza who is Adam Lanza's brother.
  • Nancy Lanza, Adam Lanza's mother, was a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary. She was killed. Lanza's father was also found dead in Hoboken today, according to NBC.
    UPDATE: "NBC News and other sources appear to be backing off the statement that Lanza's father was killed in New Jersey Friday." Jesus Christ. All we can say for sure on this point is that someone was found dead in a house in Newtown owned by Lanza's mother. We should note that although Nancy Lanza was a teacher at the school, it has not been said that she was killed at the school. She may have been killed elsewhere.

Photo: AP.