Ep 6. Raising Adam Lanza

On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and opened fire, killing 20 children and six staff members before taking his own life. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the question on many people's minds was: why did he do it?

In Frontline season 31 episode 6, titled "Raising Adam Lanza," investigative journalists delve into the life of the young man who committed one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. Through interviews with family members, friends, and experts in the fields of psychology and criminology, the episode explores the factors that may have contributed to Lanza's violent actions.

The episode begins by examining Lanza's childhood, including his struggles with socialization and his early diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome. While some media reports suggested that Lanza's autism spectrum disorder was a key factor in the shooting, the experts interviewed in the episode caution against such simplistic and stigmatizing explanations.

As the episode progresses, viewers learn about Lanza's fascination with guns and his increasingly isolated lifestyle in the years leading up to the shooting. The journalists also investigate the role that Lanza's mother, Nancy, may have played in her son's violent actions. Nancy Lanza was a gun enthusiast who reportedly took her son to shooting ranges and even bought him firearms as gifts.

Despite the extensive research and interviews conducted for the episode, however, the question of what motivated Adam Lanza to commit such an atrocious act remains largely unanswered. As one expert notes, "There's no one-size-fits-all explanation for why mass shootings happen."

Throughout the episode, the journalists and experts grapple with the complexities of mental illness, access to firearms, and the cultural narratives around mass shootings. They also offer insight into how communities can work to prevent such tragedies in the future, through measures such as early intervention for mental health issues and responsible gun ownership.

Ultimately, "Raising Adam Lanza" is a sobering and insightful look into the life of a young man who committed an unspeakable act of violence, and the many factors that may have contributed to it. While it may not offer easy answers or solutions, the episode serves as a call to action for all of us to confront the underlying issues that make such tragedies all too common in our society.