Crime & Safety

Report: Obama Advance Team Scouting Spots for Newtown Visit

U.S. President Barack Obama may visit Danbury and Newtown early next week in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that claimed the lives of 20 children.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton Tweeted the helicopters people heard over Danbury today were an advance team setting up for a possible presidential visit early next week.

"We don't know when at this point," Boughton said.

The helicopters visited Danbury Municipal Airport and other locations in the city. The mayor didn't know if the helicopters visited Newtown yet.

Find out what's happening in Grotonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Those helicopters you hear are the Presidential advance team. No details on what day the President is coming," was one of the mayor's Tweets.

Airport Administrator Paul Estefan declined to say anything at all about the helicopters or the president or any visit. Estefan said when President Clinton visited Danbury, the advance team arrived three months before the visit.

Find out what's happening in Grotonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"They are scouting landing locations. He's not with them," Boughton Tweeted, referring to the president.

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting began at about 9:30 a.m. Friday. In all, 27 people were killed, police said, including 20 children. Among the adults killed were the school’s beloved principal and psychologist.

The identities of all victims have been established, according to State Police Spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance. Families of those killed have asked that no media members press them for interviews.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.