# Why did Adam Lanza fall off the grid in 2009? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 21, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315 "2013-04-21T16:07:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![madjm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@madjm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madjm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/121 "2013-04-22T20:05:29Z")
hey first post here…what is the concescus about that robbie parker guy cause that seemed really weird to me ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/122 "2013-04-22T20:16:49Z")
I had to Google that name. One of the parents of the murdered Sandy Hook schoolchildren is named Robbie Parker. He appeared on camera shortly after the incident, and some people think he was insufficiently grief-stricken, and that this is evidence of a giant conspiracy. Now, I’ve never had children and certainly never had someone I know murdered in a mass shooting, but I did, I don’t know how I’d respond. ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/123 "2013-04-22T20:18:23Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You’re not citing your opinion and you’re not explaining what it is you want to know, so this is becoming pointless. Please explain. Im sorry if it wasnt clear, I thught i had explained above that I made an observation on the vacuum of verifiable record of. Lanza for several years before the shooting. I also stated I have never had any reason to disbelieve any other historical accounts such as 911, virginia tech incident, columbine, etc. I have never noticed anything odd about any such events. My question is exactly that, an open ended question wondering why this boy was not really around or had hard records etc since several years prior to shooting. I think its a very natural and legit thing to wonder, wth was he, why did no security footage ever verify his presence at anywhere he went. He is supposed to be so handicapped but yet seems in the way its been reported, he is a heck of alot better at just about everything than the average person, he appears to be a virtual Hoodini A 300,000 security camera system installed at entrance of school for express purpose of security, yet no footage, even though in every other case we will see footage. I am wondering what made him so special? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/124 "2013-04-22T20:25:12Z")
First, as to this (why did no security footage ever verify his presence at anywhere he went), it seems he _didn’t go anywhere_ for several years. He was the ultimate basement-dwelling loser. As for this (A 300,000 security camera system installed at entrance of school for express purpose of security), you have yet to provide any cite that such a system existed. Or really any cite whatsoever. Others have been providing cites for and against your claims. You have not. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/125 "2013-04-22T20:27:40Z")
Tell us, Tollhouse… why is Lanza so special. Stop asking the same question over and over and just tell us. ---
**Author:** ![Tollhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tollhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tollhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/126 "2013-04-22T20:30:26Z")
> [@Terraplane](#): > > _If_ it’s true that the school installed a new camera system, I can tell you that it wasn’t done so that people could later watch footage of somebody shooting up their school. They did it to aid in the investigation of any crimes that the cameras might happen to catch. Releasing that footage now isn’t going to help with any investigation, and convincing conspiracy theorists that Lanza existed is probably really low on their ‘give a fuck’ list. It should probably be a lot lower on mine, to be honest, but here I am. > > As far as the systems at stores and such, these tapes are routinely overwritten weekly or even daily as long as nothing of note happens. Nobody is going to spend the money and effort to keep and file a permanent record of every boring moment of every boring day. Why did Columbine and other similar incidents release the footage within days of the shooters showing it repeatedly. Isnt part of the point to establish the incident and how exactly it unfolded? Its my understanding that one reason gun shops, besides security reasons, have footage is to cover themselves. If Lanza was reported as having or even possibly having purchased guns there, you know they would have gotten that footage right up to examine it. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/127 "2013-04-22T20:36:37Z")
> [@Tollhouse](#): > > Im sorry if it wasnt clear, I thught i had explained above that I made an observation on the vacuum of verifiable record of. Lanza for several years before the shooting. I also stated I have never had any reason to disbelieve any other historical accounts such as 911, virginia tech incident, columbine, etc. I have never noticed anything odd about any such events. My question is exactly that, an open ended question wondering why this boy was not really around or had hard records etc since several years prior to shooting. > > I think its a very natural and legit thing to wonder, wth was he, why did no security footage ever verify his presence at anywhere he went. He is supposed to be so handicapped but yet seems in the way its been reported, he is a heck of alot better at just about everything than the average person, he appears to be a virtual Hoodini > > A 300,000 security camera system installed at entrance of school for express purpose of security, yet no footage, even though in every other case we will see footage. > > I am wondering what made him so special? Once again… I am only asking questions about things I could not even begin to understand. But, you should listen to me because I’m a guy on the internet, and requiring citations is unfair. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/128 "2013-04-22T20:48:12Z")
> [@Tollhouse](#): > > Im sorry if it wasnt clear, I thught i had explained above that I made an observation on the vacuum of verifiable record of. Lanza for several years before the shooting. I also stated I have never had any reason to disbelieve any other historical accounts such as 911, virginia tech incident, columbine, etc. I have never noticed anything odd about any such events. In other words, you don’t think he did it, right? What do you think happened? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/129 "2013-04-22T20:51:43Z")
> [@Tollhouse](#): > > Im sorry if it wasnt clear, I thught i had explained above that I made an observation on the vacuum of verifiable record of. Lanza for several years before the shooting. I also stated I have never had any reason to disbelieve any other historical accounts such as 911, virginia tech incident, columbine, etc. I have never noticed anything odd about any such events. My question is exactly that, an open ended question wondering why this boy was not really around or had hard records etc since several years prior to shooting. > > I think its a very natural and legit thing to wonder, wth was he, why did no security footage ever verify his presence at anywhere he went. He is supposed to be so handicapped but yet seems in the way its been reported, he is a heck of alot better at just about everything than the average person, he appears to be a virtual Hoodini > > A 300,000 security camera system installed at entrance of school for express purpose of security, yet no footage, even though in every other case we will see footage. > > I am wondering what made him so special? We’ve shown you that your initial assumptions were wrong. You haven’t shown that there was any footage recorded, a video camera doesn’t have to record things. We’ve only seen footage where video cameras did record things, only when they recorded the things we were looking for, and never when they didn’t. Now what evidence to you have that there is footage that has not been shown, or there is anything else inexplicable about this case? We already know Lanza was seen by people since 2009, he didn’t try to buy weapons, there’s no reason to think the FBI would have finished examining the data on the damaged hard drive yet, and there’s no evidence of any video footage at the school ever existing. ---
**Author:** ![EverwonderWhy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EverwonderWhy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EverwonderWhy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/130 "2013-04-22T20:53:20Z")
> [@Tollhouse](#): > > How is it relevant to show footage of the gunman at a gunstore attempting to buy a gun shortly before the shooting? Is that your question? > > the story was reported on, they stated law enforcement verified it..if you trust law enforcement. Any other suspect in any similar case is always shown ad nauseum over and over on footage. Why did we need to see Dorner over and over on footage at an atm? Why did we need to see the columbine shooters repeatedly on school footage within days of the event? and many more > > why is Lanza so special? Anywhere he goes happens to be a bad camera angle? According to **John Mace’s** links, the claim reported by the public that Lanza attempted to purchase a weapon at Dicks Sporting Goods in the days leading up to the shooting was unable to be verified by LE. Upon further investigation revealing the weapons used in the shooting were ALL registered to Nancy Lanza with Adam having access to his mother’s ample arsenal, he likely did not need to purchase more weapons in the days before the shooting. Any footage of Adam on any security video (ATM, convenience stores, etc) would likely have had to have taken place within days of the shooting. There was no on-going manhunt for Lanza where LE was tracing his financial transactions in order to locate him (like Dorner). For all intents and purposes Adam was pretty much a recluse who refused to even be pictured in his school yearbook. It is doubtful he even had his own bank account or cell phone and he destroyed his computer hard drive. Again, where are you getting your information **Tollhouse**? When I attempt to search your claims they go to obscure conspiracy theory sites. Tollhouse, I think you need to learn how to link to the information you are claiming is out there reported by “all” and “every” MSM source or quit posting information you refuse to cite. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/131 "2013-04-22T20:54:14Z")
_IN A WORLD_ where reality is not what it seems… ONE MAN is on a dangerous path to learn the TRUTH… **Tollhouse** the Doper is… THE QUESTIONER: _Last Man Asking_ This shitty film is not yet rated ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/132 "2013-04-22T20:54:36Z")
Another thread that’s gone on about 125 too many posts. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/133 "2013-04-22T21:03:00Z")
While I didn’t start it, [some people (our OP included) may perhaps prefer this Pit thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=688909) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/134 "2013-04-22T21:23:48Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![EverwonderWhy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EverwonderWhy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EverwonderWhy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/135 "2013-04-22T21:35:04Z")
> [@Tollhouse](#): > > A 300,000 security camera system installed at entrance of school for express purpose of security, yet no footage, even though in every other case we will see footage. Okay, I wasted another 20 minutes attempting to find a cite that Sandy Hook had just implemented a 300k security system prior to the shootings. The only thing I can find is a[NYT article](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/15/nyregion/shooting-reported-at-connecticut-elementary-school.html) linked from [Sandy Hook Elementary Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hook_Elementary_School_shooting) > [@](#): > > According to school authorities, the school’s security protocol had recently been upgraded, requiring visitors to be individually admitted after visual and identification review by video monitor. The doors to the school were locked at 9:30 am each day, after morning arrivals. I can not find any reports that describe a newly installed Sandy Hook security system costing $300,000 or that there were cameras located anywhere else in the school. It is unclear if the video monitoring at the entrance used to buzz people in was even set to record footage. Again,\*\* Tollhouse\*\*, where did you learn that Sandy Hook had just upgraded to 300k security system before the shootings? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/136 "2013-04-22T21:38:40Z")
> [@EverwonderWhy](#): > > Again,\*\* Tollhouse\*\*, where did you learn that Sandy Hook had just upgraded to 300k security system before the shootings? He learned it on the internet, _OKAAAAY!!_ ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/137 "2013-04-22T21:42:09Z")
> [@Terraplane](#): > > _If_ it’s true that the school installed a new camera system, I can tell you that it wasn’t done so that people could later watch footage of somebody shooting up their school. They did it to aid in the investigation of any crimes that the cameras might happen to catch. My kids’ elementary school installed a new video camera system about five or six years ago, but its primary purpose is to allow visitors to even enter the front door. When my older son first started attending there, anyone could just walk in, you just had to walk by the front office first, and they’d flag you down if you didn’t stop by and sign in. Now they have a buzzer at the front door to even get to the front office, and another buzzer to open the internal door to go from there into the classroom area. I expect that this video system is also being recorded, but that’s not its primary purpose. I also highly doubt that any elementary school security camera system could cost $300,000. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/138 "2013-04-23T00:10:48Z")
> [@Tollhouse](#): > > Im referring to mainstream media, not some obscure website. Mainstream media had no reason to pay any attention to Adam Lanza before December 2012. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/139 "2013-04-23T00:12:12Z")
So but for the fact that Tollhouse is completely wrong, he raises a good point? ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315/140 "2013-04-23T00:15:31Z")
I’m still hoping for an explanation of what Pierce Brosnan has to do with all of this, but I’m not holding my breath. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-adam-lanza-fall-off-the-grid-in-2009/656315.md?page=8)