Peter Lanza, the father of Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooter, is the Tax Director for General Electric. He and Adam’s mother, Nancy Lanza, were divorced in 2009. Peter Lanza recently remarried.
Saturday morning, following the school shootings, Peter Lanza released this statement:
“Our hearts go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones and to all those who were injured,” Peter Lanza said. “Our family is grieving along with all those who have been affected by this enormous tragedy. No words can truly express how heartbroken we are. We are in a state of disbelief and trying to find whatever answers we can. We too are asking why. We have cooperated fully with law enforcement and will continue to do so. Like so many of you, we are saddened, but struggling to make sense of what has transpired.”
When we see such a horror happen, the shooter’s family doesn’t get a lot of sympathy. But their lives are forever changed as well; destroyed, in many cases. I’m praying, and I hope you will too, for the surviving members of the Lanza family – Peter Lanza the shooter’s father and his wife, and Ryan Lanza, his surviving son.
Peter Lanza, father of Connecticut Shooter
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Everyone seems to be giving Peter Lanza the father of mass murderer of babies Adam (adolf) Lanza a free pass. I don’t.
His kid was way disturbed and Peter abandoned him with his mom and a closetful of guns.
He paid a lot of money to abandon his family.
His son was a homicidal monster. Don’t tell me there weren’t signs because acting like a freak is enough for the father to have stuck around.
Bottom line Peter abbandoneds his family for some young mistress and leaves his seed and responsibility to fester and explode. Peter paid lots of money to run away from his crazy son….
Was it worth it Peter you selfish prick?
They separated in 2001. He saw Adam every week and vacations. In 2008 Nancy mentioned divorce. He agreed. He kept seeing Adam until 2010 when he told Adam he planned to remarry. From the point forward Adam chose to not see or talk to either his father or brother. Guns came in later years after Peter had left according to all reports. Peter and Nancy had been together since high school. Let’s hope he at least stayed in contact with Nancy regarding Adam even if Adam would not talk to him.
Wow, you are full of assumptions aren’t you? You know how that he was involved with an affair how? You know that he “abandoned” his son how? Having a child with special needs is very taxing on marriage, they have a higher than normal divorce rate. Maybe the son didn’t want to see his father anymore. To blame this man for his sons deeds with no information to back it up is irresponsible.
JACG wrote:
That would be prima facie evidence that it’s the handicapped child causing the divorces, not just problems between the spouses. He abandoned his son.
Well it seems like some people think they know the whole story. When and where has it been established that he abandoned his son or duties as the kids father. The families of those who lost children, as well as extended family and friends will never be the same. I as well as the nation cry, for and with them.
But to lay ANY blame on the Mom or this Dad or the brother is wrong. Adam is to blame, his sick mind and no conscience led him to this most horrific act.
Amen.
Kate . . . some of what you say makes sense but the ‘new’ wife is his age or the same age as Nancy Lanza. I agree he should have stayed the course as far as checking on Adam. Even if Adam wanted nothing to do with his father and brother they both needed to stay in contact with Nancy. Maybe they did but I am very disappointed that Peter Lanza has not made a statement praising Nancy and her commitment to their son and his mental health issues. I know this sounds unreasonable but if my child was so totally opposed to my remarriage I am not so sure I would have gotten married at that time. It seems to have pushed Adam and how he was functioning. I hope Peter Lanza steps up as a man and arranges burial and memorial services for both Nancy and for Adam. He is saving millions in future alimony and he has the funds to take proper care of both AND TO START A FOUNDATION FOR NEWTOWN/SANDY HOOK. Perhaps there will be some guilt for both Peter and Shelly if she did not encourage Peter to stay in contact with his younger son. There certainly is a black mark on their marriage whether there should be or not. Nancy was his high school sweetheart and I just don’t like how she is being treated in the media and how he is totally silent in regard to Nancy. Where is the soul of the man?
Hi Mary
Yes, I’m aware his “new” wife is his age. I didn’t say “young” wife. I was trying to convey that families of shooters are destroyed too. Maybe there is a measure of guilt in hindsight but it is clear that Adam was a sick young man. He is the murderer and no one else.
Peter Lanza has some of the best lawyers. He had the backing of GE and their mod squad..GE will do everything they can to help Peter Lanza out.. That’s one thing u will never hear on the news.
Bill wrote:
Maybe, but it is also possible that Mr Lanza will become a public relations liability, and we might here, in the not-too-distant-future, that Mr Lanza has decided to pursue other career opportunities. Corporations do not like controversy.
OMG, did I just write “here” for “hear?”
I understand why you are all searching for answers and casting blame. The truth is often simple but hard to embrace. Some have asked why such a Loving God could allow this to happen? Some demand that if there is a God, this would not have happened. The shootings are not evidence that God does not exist but rather evidence that the Devul does! What we witnessed in CT
Is spiritual warfare
..All the psychobabble in the world can not explain away Adam’s motives. The simple truth is that if you do not serve the King of Kings God you serve the opposition “evil” at some level :in your life. Certainly. at a far more subtle level than Adam but without Jesus in our. Hearts we are all vunerable and capable of commiting horrible acts. See John 10:10. This was not a seperate act of evil but rather the ripple effect of decades of cultural moral decay
I have a problem with the girly website he choose to apologize on, believe me I am not a prude. The website seems to make a mockery of the apology.