HARTFORD, Conn. _ The state Appellate Court Friday affirmed a lower court's decision to throw out a lawsuit against the town of Newtown and its school district by the parents of two children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.
The lawsuit, brought by the parents of Jesse Lewis and Noah Pozner, claimed school officials didn't follow security procedures, including immediately ordering a school lockdown after Adam Lanza shot his way in. It also claimed school officials failed to adequately train staff for lockdowns, which it said may have saved lives.
The suit also alleged the school's classroom doors could only be locked from the outside in the hallway, making it impossible for teachers to safely lock them as Lanza approached their classrooms.
In 2018, Superior Court Judge Robin Wilson granted the town's request for summary judgement in the case, essentially throwing out the case. In the ruling, Wilson found the school officials' actions are protected by government immunity in the same way police officers and other government employees are protected.
Attorney Donald Papcsy, who is representing the two families, said he plans to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.
"Our intention has always been to see this through for not only the Sandy Hook families but for all the families that have been hurt or killed in school intruder incidents," he said. "Our children and the families that have lost their children deserve to know that we are doing all we can to create accountability so that schools have no choice but to keep them safe whatever the cost."
The families contend the town and the school district are using the concept of government immunity to shirk their responsibility to keep school children safe.
"We are of course disappointed in the ruling," Papcsy said. "However we are ... hopefully (going to) get a chance to hear this important case regarding accountability for our children at the Supreme Court."
Lanza shot and killed 20 first graders and six adults at the school after shooting and killing his mother, Nancy Lanza, on Dec. 14, 2012. Lanza shot his way through a window next to the locked front door of the school and proceeded to two of the first grade classrooms before killing himself.
