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Backhoes digs through the rubble as the demolition of Sandy Hook Elementary School continues, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. Workers have begun demolishing the building where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The project will take se Jessica Hill, Associated Press
View 7 more
Workers use backhoes to dig through the rubble as the demolition of Sandy Hook Elementary School continues, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. Workers have begun demolishing the building where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The projec Jessica Hill, Associated Press
View 7 more
Workers use backhoes to dig through the rubble as the demolition of Sandy Hook Elementary School continues, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. Workers have begun demolishing the building where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The projec Jessica Hill, Associated Press
View 7 more
Workers use backhoes to dig through the rubble as the demolition of Sandy Hook Elementary School continues, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. Workers have begun demolishing the building where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The projec Jessica Hill, Associated Press
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Twenty 26 stars are seen atop of the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Department in the foreground as demolition on Sandy Hook Elementary School, top right, continues, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. Workers have begun demolishing the building where a Jessica Hill, Associated Press
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Workers use backhoes to dig through the rubble as the demolition of Sandy Hook Elementary School continues, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. Workers have begun demolishing the building where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The projec Jessica Hill, Associated Press
View 7 more
Workers use backhoes to dig through the rubble as the demolition of Sandy Hook Elementary School continues, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. Workers have begun demolishing the building where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The projec Jessica Hill, Associated Press
View 7 more
Workers dig through the rubble as the demolition of Sandy Hook Elementary School continues, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in Newtown, Conn. Workers have begun demolishing the building where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The project will take seve Jessica Hill, Associated Press
By Deseret News

NEWTOWN, Conn. — Demolition crews have torn down about half of the elementary school in Connecticut where a gunman killed 26 people last year.

The town aims to finish razing the building by the anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown on Dec. 14.

Crews began the demolition work Thursday and photographs taken by air Monday show about half the school has been knocked down.

A gunman shot his way into the building last December and killed 20 first-graders and six adult staff members before committing suicide in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. The gunman also killed his mother before driving to the school.

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Town officials say they are asking the contractors to crush building materials on site to prevent anybody from taking remnants as souvenirs.

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