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Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Did the FBI say there were no killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012?

By Christiana Dillard
NO

Social media is pointing to data from the FBI's Crime in the U.S. 2012 publication, which lists zero murders in Newtown, Connecticut, where Sandy Hook Elementary School was located.

However, the figures in those data were reported under the Uniform Crime Reporting program by the law agencies handling the cases. 

In this case, Connecticut State Police, the agency that handled the mass shooting, submitted the appropriate data to the FBI at a later date. 

The killings are included in the FBI Crime Data Explorer, which is updated more frequently than the annual Crime in the U.S. publication series.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
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