NEWTOWN, Conn.—Bouquets of flowers floated counterclockwise in the waters of the circular memorial pool, passing the engraved names of the 20 first graders and six educators killed a short distance away at Sandy Hook Elementary School nearly 10 years ago.
The long-awaited memorial to the victims officially opened to the public on Sunday, drawing visitors steadily throughout the day. There was no ceremony, in keeping with Newtown’s tradition of marking anniversaries and other remembrances of the shooting with quiet reflection.
“It just takes your breath away,” said Nora Smith, a resident of nearby Monroe who visited the memorial with her husband, Kevin. “It’s something that you hold close to your heart because you feel so bad for these families.”…