The parents of the six-year-old British boy shot dead in the Sandy Hook school shooting in the US have described the moment they found out he was dead.
Dylan Hockley was killed along with 19 other children and six teachers when a gunman opened fire at their primary school in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14.
Dylan’s parents, Nicole and Ian, described to BBC News how the tragedy unfolded.
“I was at work and an email came through the school messenger system saying the school was in lockdown,” said Ian Hockley.
“Then the local media reporting said ‘shooting at the school’ – that was quite a shock. And as we were driving over, I happened to pick up on social media, not just one person shot but 26 people dead.”
The frantic couple arrived at school but saw no sign of their son, and were later informed by a police officer that the little boy was among the dead.
“After a while, as the kids were all leaving with their parents, you just start wandering around thinking ‘Where’s mine?’,” recalled Nicole Hockley.
“The police confirmed that 20 children had been shot and the room erupted. And I remember I started shaking- – and I just couldn’t stop for the life of me.
“It was around three o’clock that they came in to give their status report, and it had to be announced at that point that everybody that was left in the school was dead.”
The family are believed to have lived in Hampshire before moving to Newtown two years ago.
Sandy Hook parents recall son's death
