On this special edition of early start, a community and a nation in mourning. Newtown, you are not alone. The president , offering words of comfort and inspiration, to those trying to make sense of a senseless tragedy. The face of indescribable violence. In the face of unconscionable evil. Youve looked out of each other. And you cared for one another. And youve loved one another. Were remembering the victims, 20 children and 6 adults. Some who gave their lives to save others. She was truly selfless. She would not hesitate to save anyone else before herself, especially children. As more details emerge, people in the Small Community search for strength to face the difficult days ahead. We will move on. We will never forget. We will, in many ways, be made stronger for what has transpired. And we will get better. Good morning. And welcome to this special edition of early start. It is 5 00 a. M. In the east. Were coming to you live from newtown, connecticut, this morning. It is a raw and rainy morning here. Griefstricken neighbors are holding each other tight, preparing for the first funerals today, in the aftermath of the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. Heres the latest. President obama came here last night, offering comfort to the inconsolable in private. Then, in an interfaith service, telling those who lost loved ones, you are not alone. And promising to use all of his powers as president to stop these kinds of tragedies. Today, newtown will begin burying its dead. Funerals for jack pinto, and noah pozner. Well get to know more about ana marquezgreen. She is a little girl who liked to sing while her brother played the piano. Well bring the latest on the suspected shooter. How police say he got into the school. And why he may have been targeting it. And also, an exclusive, heartbreaking, wrenching interview, with the sandy hook principal, dawn hochsprung. What her daughters want you to know about their mother. Funeral services this afternoon for the two, beautiful little boys. Jack pinto, just 6 years old, and noah pozner, just turned 6 last month. This closeknit community is beginning to say goodbye. Absolutely. This griefstricken community now has the heartbreaking task of laying their loved ones to rest. Last night, president obama spoke to residents here in newtown, to offer words of comfort. Offer condolences from an entire nation. Saying tragedies like these must end. As a community, youve inspired us, newtown. In the face of indescribable violence, in the face of unconscionable evil, youve looked out for each other. Youve cared for one another. And youve loved one another. This is how newtown will be remembered. And with time and gods grace, that love will see you through. Reporter the president also met with victims family members at a vigil to remember the lives lost in fridays tragedy. Today, the first of many funerals. Being laid to rest this afternoon, 6yearold noah pozner. He has a twin sister, who family members say doesnt know the exact way her brother died. Also being laid to rest, jack pinto. Hes a big giants fan. Cruz wrote a tribute to jack pinto on his cleats, saying jack pinto, my hero. This is hard to talk about. The whole concept of returning to school. I know theres a plan for sandy hook kids to return to school. What are they . Right now, all schools here in newtown will be closed today, so that staff can talk to experts to see how best to talk to their students, to handle the aftermath of fridays shooting. Tomorrow, school will resume, except for sandy hook elementary. They are talking to schools in a neighboring town to see if students can be accommodated there. Connecticut state police are painstakingly piecing together the evidence from fridays massacre. They have positively identified adam lanza as the man who opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School and took his own life. We dont know why he targeted that school and the people inside. Good morning, allison. Whats the latest . Reporter good morning, john. Actually, police have moved us much closer, up to the lanza home. In fact, its right over my shoulder here. Its a huge house that sits on a hill. Right now, theres a couple of police cars still sitting in front of this house. As newtown continues to grieve, though, this Investigation Continues in earnest. Especially about what this gunman was up to, the days and the weeks and the months leading up to this massacre at sandy hook elementary. Investigators say they have proof that the gunman was at one gun range. But they wont say where or when. They say his mother, nancy lanza, who the gunman killed before he went to the school, was also as a gun range. Visited a gun range multiple times. Theyre not saying when or where, either. Investigators say theyve got an immense amount of witnesses to still talk to, including children. Theyve got to interview a lot of people. And they say theyve got weeks worth of work ahead of them. Theyre not yet ready to say what the motive is behind the shooting. Again, motive, as i discussed earlier, that will come as we finish the investigation. We didnt piecemeal it. We dont have a specific reason to stand here and say this occurred. We will. And we are searching diligently and nonstop to answer that question. Federal agents continue chasing leads. Theyre looking at as many as 30 gun ranges, hundreds of gun dealers in a 4county area, surrounding the newtown area. Theyre trying to get answers as to what this gunman was up to, before he opened fire inside this Elementary School. John . As you say, allison, theres so many questions. Alison kosik, outside the lanza house here. And the gun control debate is raging in america. President obama says we need more meaningful action to prevent future tragedies. Opponents of gun control in congress, maintain that americans have a right to bear arms. But supporters of gun rights question the right to own certain types of guns. These are assault weapons. You dont hunt deer with these types of things. I think thats the question that a lot of people have to resolve in their own minds. Where should this line get drawn . A free people should be an armed people. It ensures against the tyranny of the government, if they know that the biggest army is the american people. A number of gun control measures have been introduced in congress over the past few years. But not a single one has made it to the floor for a vote. Senator Dianne Feinstein of california says she plans to introduce a bill next month that places a ban on assault weapons. Today is the first day students across the country return to school since the massacre in connecticut. And from coasttocoast, School Districts are expected to review their security plans to satisfy anxious parents, students, teachers. I was receiving memos from my kids school all weekend. Police departments around the country are expected to increase patrols. And many districts will offer additional Counseling Services to frightened students. And saturday night live, known to take on the news with comedy, took a different approach this weekend. The new york citys childrens chorus opened the show singing silent night. Silent night holy night all is calm all is bright round yon virgin mother and child and coming up, a cnn exclusive. Were going to hear from the family of the sandy hook elementary principal who lost her life trying to confront a killer. [ female announcer ] born from the naturally sweet monk fruit, something this delicious could only come from nature. Now from the maker of splenda sweeteners, discover nectresse. 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And i was a seventh grade math teacher at that time. And i just fell in love with her. Reporter george made the big decision. The time had come to propose. She turned me down five times. Reporter you asked her to marry her. And she turned you down . Five times. Reporter what happened the sixth time . The sixth time, i waited until it wasnt so rough sailing. Reporter george had been popping the question on a sailboat they bought together. We got married on a sloop. Reporter beth, amy and ann are his daughters from his first marriage. The other daughter, tina, was out while we were at the house. They are a close but blended family. The dream was, chronological dream. It was going to be dawns house. I was going to die. Im much older than dawn. It was going to be dawns house. All of the children and the grandchildren could use the house on the lake. We built rooms downstairs for kids. It was going to be dawns house ultimately, with all of the children. All the children. And now, its me. I cant i dont think i can do that. Reporter but i want to reiterate to you, george. You have these beautiful daughters and sonsinlaw and grandchildren. And everyone will be here to take care of you. Is that right, ladies . My job is to take care of other people. Reporter its all right if someone takes care of you for a while. Stop being so stubborn. Reporter george still taught at the middle school where they met. In the middle of the day friday, this is how george found out what happened. One of the kids came up with a computer. And said, somethings happening at Sandy Hook School. And your wifes been killed. Reporter george raced out of school. And into a nightmare. Like all of the families of victims, they want to know more. And on this day, they have learned more. Two teachers who survived told george they were having a meeting with dawn when the shots started ringing out. Dawn put herself in jeopardy. And i have been angry about that. Angry. Until just now, when i met two women that she told to go under shelter while she actually confronted the gunman. She could have avoided that. And she didnt. I knew she wouldnt. So, im not angry anymore. Im not angry. Im not angry at anyone. Im not angry. Im just very sad. They were at the meeting. There were gunshots. Somebody shot the window. Somebody came in, into the not into the office, but into the building, the foyer of the building. And dawn told us to go hide. And she and at least one other teacher went out and actually tried to subdue the killer. I dont know where that comes from. Dawn was 52. Reporter everyone here is so proud. No one more so than erica, who said her mom was there for her daughters. Every game, she was there. Every cheerleading stuff, she was there. Every dance competition. She was doing homework on the bleachers. But she was there. And she was my rock. My rock. Reporter and now, she is a hero, too. Final thing i want to ask you is, what would you say to your mom right now . Come back. Just come back. Yes, yes, yes. That was gary tuchman reporting. Its really difficult, i would imagine, for the families. But for all of us to hear their stories and know how they were in life, is really, i think, spectacular. It is. It helps with closure and hope. Its tough to hear this man say that he was supposed to die first. That they bought the house. And she was supposed to live in it. And she doesnt wahe doesnt wa care of. It makes it really, real. Well be right back. Woman ] r mixes with pollen and dust. I get congested. But now, with zyrtecd®, i have the proven allergy relief of zyrtec®, plus a powerful decongestant. Zyrtecd® lets me breath freer, so i can love the air. [ male announcer ] zyrtecd®. Behind the pharmacy counter. No prescription needed. You wont just find us online, youll also find us in person, with dedicated support teams at over 500 branches nationwide. 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Were trying to find out more about the shooter this morning. Why he may have been targeting the Sandy Hook School. And how he got in those doors to begin this deadly rampage. And for a look at some of the other stories making news this morning, were going to go to Christine Romans. Killed in the line of duty, two Kansas Police officers shot while responding to reports of a suspicious car at a grocery store. They died last night at topeka hospital. A third officer on the scene was not hit. The suspected shooter, 22yearold David Tiscareno is on the run. He is considered dangerous. The state department is expected to get the results on the terror attack on the consulate in benghazi. Hearings on the floor of the house and the senate start thursday. Senator john kerry is expected to be president obamas nominee for next secretary of state. In his current role as Senate Foreign relations committee, kerry had traveled the world to smooth over strained relationship, is including to pakistan after the death of osama bin laden. All eyes remain on washington to see if lawmakers can strike a deal to avoid tax increases and spending cuts over the next decade. The nikkei 225 index in japan is trading higher today. The win will most likely result in a loosening of japans monetary policy. Despite upbeat on the economic data, markets ended lower last week. Its all about the fiscal cliff, right . Could washington be making strides . Yesterday, a source familiar with the talks told cnn that House Speaker john boehner is willing to extend the debt limit for a year. The ceiling stands at 16. 4 trillion. Raising it further, requires an acted of congress, something the republicans have opposed since gaining the house in 2010. That news came a day after a source said boehner had suggested higher taxes on americans with annual incomes over 1 million. Higher than what the president wants. President wants higher taxes on everybody over 250,000. Thank you very much. And coming up, much more live from newtown, connecticut, where the nation looked to president obama for comfort last night. And where detectives continue to look for answers today. [ woman ] dear cat, your hair mixes with pollen and dust. I get congested. But now, with zyrtecd®, i have the proven allergy relief of zyrtec®, plus a powerful decongestant. Zyrtecd® lets me breath freer, so i can love the air. [ male announcer ] zyrtecd®. Behind the pharmacy counter. No prescription needed. Something this delicious could only come from nature. New nectresse. The 100 natural nocalorie sweetener made from the goodness of fruit. New nectresse. Sweetness naturally. And you must know that whatever measure of comfort we can provide, we will provide it. Whatever portion of sadness that we can share with you to ease this heavy load, we will gladly bear it. Newtown, you are not alone. Nowtown, you are not alone. President obama offering comfort to this grieving community, as newtown prepares to begin burying the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Welcome back to this special edition of early start. It is a raw and gray morning here in newtown, connecticut. This Close Knit Community is still reeling, still numb, three days after the senseless slaughter at the Sandy Hook Elementary School on friday. President obama paid a visit last night. F