several slayings marred the new years revelry in many of the nations cities the count of the dead has not yet been fully no shortage of gun violence at start of new year one by one the minivans rolled into the parking lot booster seats in the back filled with brighteyed eager children the newtown christmas pageant goes on without two of its children the soldier appeared to have died from a gunshot wound according to the threesentence statement pdf from lt col william army soldier found dead in barracks on alaska military base but authorities say theres no doubt about the quality of the people he killed on christmas eve a gunman later identified michael chiapperini webster volunteer shot dead on christmas eve was firefighter of the year