Virginia Tech Shooting

[Guest]

WOW

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vtech.shooting/index.html

[Guest]

Absolute horror story. Lately it seems the world is going to hell in a hand basket....

[E106MKFD 56]

Is it me or has there been alot of shootings lately.

[Guest]

2:27 PM MSNBC & ASSOCIATED PRESSED UPDATED DEATH TOLL TO 31

[Guest]

Apparently there are potential working theories that this may have been a potential terrorist attack. The school had closed buildings and canceled classes earlier this month due to a number of written bomb threats.

[Guest]

2:27 PM MSNBC & ASSOCIATED PRESSED UPDATED DEATH TOLL TO 31

←

Thats what i had in mind

[RWC130 594]

Gunman killed after deadly Virginia Tech rampage

POSTED: 3:06 p.m. EDT, April 16, 2007

(CNN) -- A lone gunman is dead after police said he killed at least 21 people Monday during shootings in a dorm and a classroom at Virginia Tech -- the deadliest school attack in U.S. history.

Government officials told The Associated Press that the death toll had grown to 31, including the gunman. CNN is working to confirm the report.

It was not clear if the gunman was killed by police or if he took his own life.

"Some victims were shot in a classroom," university police Chief Wendell Flinchum said of the shootings, which occurred two hours apart.

Police believe there was only one gunman, Flinchum said.

Spokespersons for hospitals in Roanoke, Christiansburg, Blacksburg and Salem told CNN that they were treating 29 people from the shootings.

Sharon Honaker with Carilion New River Medical Center in Christiansburg said one of the four gunshot victims being treated there was in critical condition.

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," said university President Charles Steger. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."

The killings mark the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, surpassing attacks at Columbine High School in 1999 and at the University of Texas in 1966.

One person was killed and others were wounded at multiple locations inside a dormitory about 7:15 a.m., Flinchum said. Two hours later, another shooting at Norris Hall, the engineering science and mechanics building, resulted in multiple casualties, the university reported.

The first reported shooting occurred at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a coed dormitory that houses 895 students. The dormitory, one of the largest residence halls on the 2,600-acre campus, is located near the drill field and stadium.

Amie Steele, editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, said one of her reporters at the dormitory reported "mass chaos."

The reporter said there were "lots of students running around, going crazy, and the police officers were trying to settle everyone down and keep everything under control," according to Steele.

Kristyn Heiser said she was in class about 9:30 a.m. when she and her classmates saw about six gun-wielding police officers run by a window.

"We were like, 'What's going on?' Because this definitely is a quaint town where stuff doesn't really happen. It's pretty boring here," said Heiser during a phone interview as she sat on her classroom floor.

Student reports 'mayhem'

Student Matt Waldron said he did not hear the gunshots because he was listening to music, but he heard police sirens and saw officers hiding behind trees with their guns drawn.

"They told us to get out of there so we ran across the drill field as quick as we could," he said.

"It was kind of scary," he said. "These two kids I guess had panicked and jumped out of the top-story window and the one kid broke his ankle and the other girl was not in good shape just lying on the ground."

Madison Van Duyne said she and her classmates in a media writing class were on "lockdown" in their classrooms. They were huddled in the middle of the classroom, writing stories about the shootings and posting them online.

The university is updating its more than 26,000 students through e-mails, and an Internet webcam is broadcasting live pictures of the campus.

The shootings came three days after a bomb threat Friday forced the cancellation of classes in three buildings, WDBJ in Roanoke reported. Also, the 100,000-square-foot Torgersen Hall was evacuated April 2 after police received a written bomb threat, The Roanoke Times reported.

Last August, the first day of classes was cut short by a manhunt after an escaped prisoner was accused of killing a security guard at a Blacksburg hospital and a sheriff's deputy.

After the Monday shootings, students were instructed to stay indoors and away from windows, police at the university said.

"Virginia Tech has canceled all classes. Those on campus are asked to remain where they are, lock their doors and stay away from windows. Persons off campus are asked not to come to campus," a statement on the university Web site said.

The university has scheduled a convocation for 2 p.m. ET Tuesday. In Washington, the House and Senate observed moments of silence for the victims and President Bush was reportedly "horrified" by news of the attacks.

"His thoughts and prayers are with them, and we are monitoring the situation," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

Before Monday, the deadliest school shootings came in 1966 and 1999.

In the former, Charles Joseph Whitman, a 25-year-old ex-Marine, killed 13 people on the University of Texas campus. He was killed by police.

In 1999, 17-year-old Dylan Klebold and 18-year-old Eric Harris -- armed with guns and pipe bombs -- killed 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

Copyright 2007 CNN

THIS IS REALLY SAD..... WOW..... SPEECHLESS!

[nycemt728 49]

List of the Dead

Because we should all take a second and remember those affected by this tragedy! As someone recently graduated from college, Rest in Peace.

Edited April 17, 2007 by nycemt728

[hudson144 150]

my 19 yr old nephew was in the dorm directly across from the original shooting. he followed his fathers footsteps going to VT. He is ok but shaken up bigtime. hell of a way to start off your college education. a murder in aug and now this! may god bless the others that did not survive such a cowardly act by one. he was telling me that the injured could not be transported by medi vac because of the high winds. the hospital in Blacksburg was over whelmed!

Edited April 17, 2007 by hudson144

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Death Toll is up to 33 (suspect included, did himself, its too bad SWAT didn't get to him first...) and the weapons were a 9mm Glock and a .22 semiauto (unknown type.) Supposedly there have been a few bomb threats in the past several months, indicating (at least to me, though I'm no FBI profiler, and assuming he was the caller) that he was sizing up police response times and response levels.

Sounds like the Police Chief is going to face some tough questions in the near future regarding his tactics, or, (as the media alleges,) lackthereof.

At any rate, my heart goes out to the families of everyone in VT as I'm sure they are overwhelmed with sadness.

[E106MKFD 56]

I heard his english professer had noticed he had been having problems lately. I belive she tried to address the problem and even notified other teachers.