Connecticut Shooting has Local Schools Checking Security - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Twenty-seven are dead after a gunman opened fire Friday morning in a Connecticut elementary school; 20 of those killed were children.  The gunman started shooting inside the school in Newtown, Connecticut where his mother worked. After the rain of gunfire, the shooter took his own life.

The massacre appears to be the nation's second-deadliest school shooting, topped only by the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007. Some parents may be wondering if the schools their kids are in are safe and ready to protect children if an intruder would walk in to school doors. 

As news of the horrific events that unfolded at this Connecticut school spread across the nation. Fargo Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Schatz says it's hard to take in.

"It's disturbing to say the least to hear reports of this."

With more than two dozen people shot, and children among those killed, Schatz says it's incidents like this that have them always checking in on their security measures.

"There are a number of different things that we have in place and we are always looking at ways to improve security," Shatz says. "We think right now we are doing everything to protect the student"

Schatz says the school does everything they can to make sure children are safe, and that his thoughts and prayers are with those of the small town in Connecticut where tragedy has struck

"When someone comes into the school like that it is hard to prevent."

Dr. Schatz says as the news spread to schools and parents, the day still went as normal. He's not aware of any parents who picked up their kids early because of the shooting out east.