Citing government immunity, the Connecticut Appellate Court ruled against two families who alleged negligence and inadequate school-safety protocols contributed to the death of their loved ones during the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012.

The appellate court upheld a lower court’s ruling granting summary judgment to the town of Newtown and its education board on the ground of governmental immunity, finding the plaintiffs made no specific allegations against any faculty or staff at the time of the shooting, and that school security guidelines imposed discretionary responsibilities, not a ministerial duty, on the defendants.