It's sad. I couldn't sleep last night. It was a bad feeling. A feeling so bad that I couldn't sleep.
Indeed, bad news.
It's just been 7.15am, in Virginia, US, when the first shooting happened.
Shooting in the
He killed his girlfriend in the dormitory, before getting the Norris Hall, which is a 15 mins walk from the dormitory, where he killed most of his other victims.
Outrage: Slow lock-down of campus, slow locating of killers, slow identifying of victims; informing of victims’ parents. Outrage.
He went into classes, chained the doors and sprayed bullets all over.
Past History of School Violence in U.S:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Whitman
Description: Killer killed wife and mum the night before the shooting, Sniped 15 people, before he was shot dead by Police.
Columbine High:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Harris_and_Dylan_Klebold
Description: 2 killers were bullied by classmates, then decided to take revenge through shooting; they killed 12 students, one professor, before killing themselves.
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US reels at horror of school shooting
Posted: 17 April 2007 0859 hrs on Channel Newsasia.
President George W. Bush led expressions of dismay saying he was "shocked and saddened" by the shooting rampage that left at least 33 dead and many more wounded at a university in
"Schools should be places of safety, and sanctuary, and learning. When that sanctuary is violated, the impact is felt in every American classroom and every American community," Bush said in a brief statement.
"Today our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones at Virginia Tech. We hold the victims in our hearts. We lift them up in our prayers. And we ask a loving God to comfort those who are suffering today."
The House of Representatives and Senate both observed a moment of silence for what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described as a "terrible, terrible tragedy" after a gunman killed at least 30 people before turning the gun on himself.
"This is a very dark day in
The massacre came almost eight years to the day after the shootings at
"Since these killings, we've done nothing as a country to end gun violence in our schools and communities," Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said in a statement.
"If anything, we've made it easier to access powerful weapons," he said. "It is long overdue for us to take some common-sense actions to prevent tragedies like this from continuing to occur."
University president Charles Steger said they had received expressions of sympathy from around the world, but Gerard Toal, a professor at Virginia Tech, told AFP the incident would deeply affect the staff and more than 28,000 students.
"This is a profound event obviously and it's one that will shake at the core of the university," he said.
The shooting came ahead of the busy exam season, when many students struggled to cope. "There's a lot of pressure on people, we're all feeling the pressure," he said. "Obviously the scale of this is shocking."
"You're dealing with the state of
Virginia Tech is one of a few universities with a military training program.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said the "horror this unprecedented carnage inflicts on our entire nation is unfathomable" as students in the
Ladd Everitt of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence said such shootings cast a dark shadow over the entire country.
"We still live in a society where gun violence is an overriding concern," he said. "We've had a series of these high-profile, very violent shootings that have taken a lot of victims."
His organization campaigns for "sensible" gun laws, focusing on closing loopholes that allow people to get hold of weapons without background checks.
Helen Stubbs, associate director of the Higher Education Centre, which helps schools tackle violence and drugs on campus, said it was difficult for campuses to have watertight security because they were often so spread out.
High schools, which in the
Ian Ehrenberg, whose company Nice Vision specializes in school surveillance systems, said Monday's shooting proved that there was insufficient security on some school campuses.
"I do think they should do more and I don't think anyone will have a question about that," he said. "It's the responsibility of the school to provide a safe environment for the students on the campus."
"I expect colleges and campuses in the
- AFP/so
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
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I am a graduate student at Virginia Tech and fortunately I chose not to go to campus early this morning. We have been notified of the first incident very quickly and advised to stay indoors and exercise caution. One of my friends was teaching a class in Norris Hall, where the second incident took place. She sent me an email and an instant message saying she met with the shooter by accident and was nearly shot. She succeeded in barricading herself along with other students in one of the classrooms and as far as I know she is now safe. God help all the students who were injured in this tragic event!
Mihai Alexe,
Our campus has been shut down for the remainder of the day, and many local high schools have kept everything on lock down.
Mala,
I am a graduate student at VT. This has been quite a surreal and grim morning for us all. We had a shooter on campus on the first day of campus and now this. We have been under a lot of stress lately, as there have already been several bomb threats over the past few weeks, even as early as Friday. I do not know if the threats are related to today's shooting. I still can't believe this has happened. My tears continue to pour as the number of casualties continues to rise.
Mia Ortega,
|
| My friend called me telling me not to come on campus because there had been another shooting Judith Payne, |
I am in shock at the events that happened this morning. I am a junior attending Virginia Tech. I was getting ready to leave for my class at 10 am this morning, when my friend Margaret called me telling me not to come on campus because there had been another shooting (we had had a shooting in August on the first day of class). She said that cops had run past her class room and others had run in pointing guns and telling everyone to get down. I live a mile off campus, and I've just been watching the news unfold on the TV. It's scary to see how the numbers increase from 1 dead, 7 injured to 22 dead 21 injured in a matter of minutes. It's been a traumatic experience for the school.
Judith Payne,
I live in
Josh Shiben,
I am an exchange student from
George Barnwell,
|
| Students are terrified Derek Belcher, |
I am a student at Virginia Tech and was on campus during the second shooting at Norris Hall. The Virginia Tech police told us that 20 are confirmed dead and 28 are being treated for injuries. This is the second shooting in one year as well as three bomb threats in the last week. Students are terrified.
Derek Belcher,
I'm from University College Dublin and now on exchange in Virginia Tech. A murderer on campus on our first day here is as bad as it could get, this is unbelievable. Find it hard to believe that 20 people can really be dead. Sitting in dorms right now, waiting for further news. People starting to be released, seems worst may be over.
We are stuck on lockdown in the library on campus right now and everyone just seems to be in shock. Cops are everywhere. We just heard that 17 people have been shot. It's been hard to determine what's true and what's just a rumour. We can only hope that the shooters are caught soon.
Krishna and Allison,
|
| The scene here is just surreal |
The scene here is just surreal. Watching the TV and looking at the web-pages, you know that all of this is happening on your campus, but you don't fully realize that it is actually happening; especially as a student. One of my friends was in one of the classrooms where the shooting occurred, and the scene he described was utter chaos. It sounded like a scene from a movie, something that you watch but never expect to happen to you, or to anyone that you know. My thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families of the victims.
I am a faculty from VT. I am shocked with the scale of this horrific event took place in our campus. The gunman is reportedly dead. We do not have much information. An evacuation plan will be performed by police officers very soon and we will go back to our homes. May the victims' souls rest in peace.
Kerem Gungor,
We are in total shock, and it's still setting in. The fact that 20 people have been shot on my campus is totally unthinkable and unbelievable. It's like something out a movie, but it's real. I pray for the families of those killed. This is a terrible tragedy, one that will have a lasting impact on this university for years to come.
Timothy Owen,
This is truly awful. I am staying just outside of campus at the moment. So many of my friends are in there, and not knowing is just awful. I still cannot believe that more than 20 have died...
Richard Allnutt,
I am a student at Virginia Tech and was in my dormitory at 10:30 when I FINALLY got word about the shootings. I was on my way out to class when I was stopped by a hallmate telling me about what was going on. Students are now coming back to the dorms. I have a friend who is in the building behind Norris and is surrounded by students and faculty who were in Norris. One girl expressed how she saw many bloody bodies. We are being advised to stay in the dorm, but information from the University is slow, although the news coverage has been the best source of information. Why weren't we warned after the FIRST shooting?
Bethany Zimmerman,
I am a student. I was walking to class when one of the buildings was evacuated. The police yelled to get off the drillfield. People started running everywhere. The situation is intense. Everyone is worried.
Brett Morris,
Death toll already verified at 20. Victims have been taken to a regional hospital. FBI has been called in to investigate. There was a single heavily-armed shooter that has now been reported as shot dead as well. All classes have been cancelled, some buildings are being evacuated one by one.
Justin Shrout,
Just spoke via messenger to my friend, who works at Virginia Tech - her husband works in that building (Norris Hall) but was luckily teaching in a different building. When we stopped talking maybe 20 minutes ago, she thought it was all over now, and students were being sent home.
Scared, Southampton
After the second shooting, police vehicles have been travelling through town using PA systems to warn town residents to stay away from windows.
Nathan Johnson,
My name is Nicholas Kiersey, and I am a PhD student at Virginia Tech, from
Nicholas Kiersey,
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/6561335.stm
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32 killed in America
April 17, 2007 12:47pm
Article from: 
- Worst campus shooting incident in
- Gunman took his own life, police say
- George W. Bush says nation is grieving
A gunman opened fire inside a
The rampage took place in two separate areas, first at a dormitory as students had begun criss-crossing the sprawling campus for morning classes, and then about two hours later at an engineering and science hall about 800m away, sparking panic.
Witnesses have described an Asian gunman wearing a maroon hat and a black coat, with a military-style combat vest.
A man and a female student were killed in the first shooting in what is believed to have been a domestic incident, police have said.
Two hours elapsed before the gunman then went to his German class in the second building and shot his professor, then opened fire on the other staff and students.
Authorities are already facing questions over why the campus was not locked down in the time between the two shootings.
"I hid under the desk and he proceeded to shoot everybody else in the class, practically," said Derek O'Dell, who was wounded in his arm. "There were probably 15 to 20 people in the class and he shot 10 to 15 of them."
Mobile phone footage from the scene
(Story continues below)
Witnesses have said some students were hurt jumping out the windows of the second floor of the classroom building to escape the gunfire.
“You could see students carrying what looked like bodies out of Norris Hall (the engineering building) and there were ambulances out there that drove down to pick them up and sped off towards the hospital,” student Michael O'Brien has told Fox News.
A student journalist's video of the chaos was replayed repeatedly on
Authorities have said the gunman killed himself as police officers arrived at the second floor of the classroom building.
15 casualties in hospitals
Local hospitals were treating 15 wounded, according to a statement on the Virginia Tech website.
“Two shooting incidents on campus today have left 33 dead,” said the statement.
“Thirty-one, including the gunman, died at Norris Hall; two died at West Ambler Johnston Hall. Fifteen other victims from Norris are being treated at area hospitals.
“The university is in the process of identifying victims and notifying next-of-kin. Names will not be released until that process is complete.”
All classes were cancelled, the statement said.
An Australian student, Lesley Gerrard, has told how lucky she was not to be caught up in the hall where most of the killings occurred. "I have classes actually in Norris Hall, where the shootings took place, on Mondays in the afternoons, although this week my classes were online," she said. (More)
NEWS.com.au reader Stephanie reported her cousin, who studies at Virginia Tech, left the building where the shootings took place 30 minutes before the attack.
Were you there? Do you have relatives or friends at Virginia Tech? Email us at news@news.com.au or through the form below.
The state's governor has declared a state of emergency in the aftermath of the massacre.
The death toll of 32 surpasses the 15 who died in the shooting at
US President George W. Bush has said he is "horrified" by the attack, while the university's president has said the shooting is a "tragedy of monumental proportions".
University police were investigating the first shooting at the dormitory when they got word of gunfire at the classroom building. They believed that was an isolated domestic incident.
One student has told CNN that the gunman entered the second building, chained the doors closed and began shooting into each classroom.
"He shot at the class somewhere between eight to 12 times and then left," a student identified as Paul has been quoted as saying.
Police have said the university was not closed down after the first shooting because there was evidence that the gunman had fled the campus, although it is not clear what that evidence is.
They have said two weapons were found after the incident, but they have not said what types of weapons they are.
Student Justin Merrifield has said students were alerted to the danger by campus loudspeakers. "There was a voice that just kept repeating, 'Gunman on campus, stay indoors, get away from windows,' over and over, basically," he has said.
One student has criticised how university officials reacted after the first shooting.
"I'm pretty outraged that someone died in a shooting in a dorm at 7 o'clock in the morning and the first email about it had no mention of locking down the campus, no mention of cancelling classes," he has said on CNN.
"While they sent out that e-mail, 21 people got killed."
A White House spokeswoman has said: “(The President's) immediate reaction was one of deep concern for the families of the victims, the victims themselves, the students, the professors and all of the people of Virginia who have dealt with this shocking incident."
Virginia Tech president Charles Steger has said: “I cannot begin to convey my own personal sense of loss over this senseless and incomprehensible heinous act.”
- AFP and Reuters
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MSNBC
Updated: 9:13 p.m. ET April 16, 2007
For Virginia Tech student Trey Perkins, the first sign of the crisis that had been unfolding on campus since early Monday morning came as his German class was beginning in Norris Hall. It was a popping sound.
“None of us thought it was gunshots,” the college sophomore said.
But within seconds the source of the sound became clear, when a gunman entered the lecture hall and shot the professor before turning his guns on students.
“He didn’t say a single word the whole time,” said Perkins. “He didn’t say get down, he didn’t say anything. He just came in and started shooting.”
Perkins and his classmates instinctively fell to the ground, turning over desks to create barriers between themselves and the shooter, who seemed to be firing randomly.
“He started shooting around,” Perkins recalls. “I’m not sure how long it lasted. It felt like a really long time, but was probably only a minute or so.”
Perkins said the most striking thing about the shooter was his stoic demeanor.
“He looked like, I guess you could say, serious," he told MSNBC TV hours after the incident. "He didn’t look frightened at all, he didn’t look angry. Just a straight face.”
Perkins' first thoughts were of survival — and the suffering of his mother if he didn’t make it. He tried to think of a course of action, but he was blocked in place by two overturned desks.
When the gunman finally left, Perkins and two other students, one of them bleeding from a wound to the arm, tried to brace the door closed to prevent his return.
“He started to try to open the door again, and then tried to shoot through the door, four, five, maybe six shots,” remembers Perkins. “Fortunately none of those shots hit anyone.”
As he and the other students still standing scrambled to help the injured, they could hear shooting elsewhere in the building.
Perkins said there were about a dozen wounded people in the classroom. He said he used his sweatshirt to try to stanch the bleeding in the shooting victims.
posted by yang @ 9:29 PM
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