Proposal: Families of Newtown victims would split $1.5M from estate of gunman's mother

The families of more than a dozen victims of the Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting would split $1.5 million under proposed settlements of lawsuits against the estate of the gunman's mother.

The lawsuits accuse Nancy Lanza of failing to properly secure her legally owned Bushmaster AR-15 rifle. Her son, 20-year-old Adam, used the rifle to kill 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012 after fatally shooting his mother.

The settlement proposals were disclosed in probate court documents filed Monday and first reported by The Hartford Courant. Lawyer Joshua Koskoff represents several families and told The Associated Press that about 16 families suing Nancy Lanza's estate would evenly split the $1.5 million if a judge approves the plan.

The families also are suing gun maker Bushmaster.