33 Confirmed Killed in Shooting at VA Tech

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Story is still developing:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Virginia-Tech-Shooting.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print


April 16, 2007
At Least 21 Killed in Shooting at Virginia Tech
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 12:36 p.m. ET

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing 21 people and wounding another 21 before he was killed, police said.

"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 university reported shootings at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a co-ed residence hall that houses 895 people, and continuing about two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building.

One student was killed in a dorm and the others were killed in the classroom, Virginia Tech Police Chief W.R. Flinchum.

After the shootings, all entrances to the campus were closed and classes canceled through Tuesday.

"There's just a lot of commotion. It's hard to tell exactly what's going on," said Jason Anthony Smith, 19, who lives in the dorm where shooting took place.

Aimee Kanode, a freshman from Martinsville, said the shooting happened on the 4th floor of West Ambler Johnston dormitory, one floor above her room. Kanode's resident assistant knocked on her door about 8 a.m. to notify students to stay put.

"They had us under lockdown," Kanode said. "They temporarily lifted the lockdown, the gunman shot again."

"We're all locked in our dorms surfing the Internet trying to figure out what's going on," Kanode said.

Madison Van Duyne, a student who was interviewed by telephone on CNN, said, "We are all in lockdown. Most of the students are sitting on the floors away from the windows just trying to be as safe as possible."

It was second time in less than a year that the campus was closed because of a shooting.

In August 2006, the opening day of classes was canceled and the campus closed when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard off campus and fled to the Tech area. A sheriff's deputy involved in the manhunt was killed on a trail just off campus.

The accused gunman, William Morva, faces capital murder charges.

I'm too stunned to really say anything at the moment...I had friends who went to Virginia Tech....:cry:

A prayer service will be held tomorrow at Noon.



EDIT: Here's an incomplete list of the confirmed dead:

http://www.collegemedia.com/stories/417-300am-none.html

UPDATE: Shooter Identified
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/17/vtech.shooting/

[Cascadia]

One of my cousins graduated from Virginia Tech. Such a disaster for the students and the campus. This is one thing that I have never seen as a college student in the past 10 years. :cry:

[Raph's Girl]

They're calling this the worst school shooting in history!! The other bad school shooting was the massacre in Texas in 1966 (I saw the movie of that one a couple years ago).

There werer actually 2 seperate shootings but with the same gunman. 1 at 7:15 at one building and another 2 hours later at another building. Man the footage on CNN by the student is scary!

[Masked Ninja]

Oh, man, I have a friend who goes to VT... hope he's all right...

[Cascadia]

They're calling this the worst school shooting in history!! The other bad school shooting was the massacre in Texas in 1966 (I saw the movie of that one a couple years ago).

There werer actually 2 seperate shootings but with the same gunman. 1 at 7:15 at one building and another 2 hours later at another building. Man the footage on CNN by the student is scary!

I remember this shooting even though I was not alive yet.

[Cure]

Wait, wait. In the beginning it said he killed 21 people and injured 21 more before HE WAS KILLED. Then at the end, it says he faces capital murder charges. So is he dead? Or are they talking about the shooting in '06?

[Cascadia]

the article even mentioned the one that frightens me....Columbine Massacre in 1999. I lived 30 miles away from Littleton, Colorado. I was a sophomore at the time. The images are still fresh in my mind. :cry:

[Raph's Girl]

Wait, wait. In the beginning it said he killed 21 people and injured 21 more before HE WAS KILLED. Then at the end, it says he faces capital murder charges. So is he dead? Or are they talking about the shooting in '06?

They were talking about the shooting in August.

Oh man!! Now they're saying 30 dead, 28 injured! :o

[Cascadia]

Oh man...the media will be over this if they haven't already.

[Jo Dawn]

There werer actually 2 seperate shootings but with the same gunman. 1 at 7:15 at one building and another 2 hours later at another building. Man the footage on CNN by the student is scary!

Yes. They lifted the lockdown, and the shooter killed again. I wonder where he could have been hiding so well as to bypass the police like that.

So is he dead?

Yes. Though they are 'unsure' if the police killed him, or if he took his own life.

Oh man...the media will be over this if they haven't already.

And I hope not, though I'm sure a movie is already in the works. :roll: It's sad, yes... But to keep showing it has been proven to plant the seed in other unstable people's minds. We're a terribly over dramatic country... I mean, I feel bad and all... But I've already seen more than I care to.

[Raph's Girl]

Yes. Though they are 'unsure' if the police killed him, or if he took his own life.

Well they're now saying that the shooter was an Asian American male and that he shot himself.

U just know they're gonna make a movie out of this...and Jamal Albarghouti, who filmed the shooting, is already famous cuz of this. Yeesh.

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Update: 32 people confirmed dead, according to Fox News.

EDIT: 2:40 pm. Associated Press has reduced the number to 31 (including the shooter).

[Raph's Girl]

Apperantly the gunman was a pissed off BF....he shot his GF and another person...then went on a rampage.

[iris]

My whole department at the University of Maryland has been following this story. We have many close ties to Va Tech.

And one of my neighboring research assistants has four friends in the engineering department over there. No news on them yet.

The waiting sucks. But based on the odds, I think knowing is going to suck more.

[Swany]

You wonder how people can do things like this. Stuff like that doesn't hapen often in the UK. But its not uncommon, I just can't beleive it though.

[愛]

I have some pretty close ties with some of the most diabolical and heartless of people on the internet, and there's already a big thing in the CS Community.

http://csvatech.ytmnd.com/

Terrible? Yes. Funny? It's never too early for satire, in my opinion.

[Mr. Snackpants]

Wow this is just crazy. I can't imagine how i would be feeling right now if it happened here where I go to school. I wouldn't want to go to class for a long time, I wouldn't feel safe. It's so sad, I feel for all of their families. How could someone just take the lives of so many people? It's just really depressing :cry:

[METALHEAD]

Watch The Language.

-voltron

[MadPirateBunny]

It doesn't make any difference the background of the person.

What matters is that he shot people. He killed people with no regard for human life.

That's beyond sad.

That's plain stupid.

[Mr. Snackpants]

Edited out. -VOLTRON

So after you went to church, you decide to start using the term "damn jap"? Are you serious? You basically wasted your whole morning then, huh?

[jeff the cheff]

Edited out. -VOLTRON

You're a ****ing idiot. I'm suprised you've lasted 86 posts here...

What I don't understand...Why did they not cancel class? The first shooting was at about 7 am, and the next shooting was later that day. I would not go to class if I knew there was a shooting on campus, and I think the campus should've gone on lockdown earlier.

[Mr. Snackpants]

You're a ****ing idiot. I'm suprised you've lasted 86 posts here...

What I don't understand...Why did they not cancel class? The first shooting was at about 7 am, and the next shooting was later that day. I would not go to class if I knew there was a shooting on campus, and I think the campus should've gone on lockdown earlier.

Apparently they did cancel class and lockeddown campus early...but then it was lifted and classes resumed... I guess? Seems very stupid, especially since they didn't find the gunman. I'm not sure why the lockdown was lifted but if I heard there was a shooting I sure as hell wouldn't be going to class.

[Swany]

Edited out. -VOLTRON

What the hell man, theres no excuse for racism. Did you not stop to think that people on this forum are of diferent ethniticities.

[愛]

I thought they said they canceled class until Tuesday?

[Swany]

I still can't beleive this though. How can someone make the desicion to kill another.

Why is it always schools?

[愛]

School is a stressful place, and it is also where a lot of juvenile interaction takes place. It's also where a lot of fights happen. Eventually, they turn to extreme violence. That's my theory.

[iris]

They thought the first shooting was isolated, and I can't blame them. Who's going to predict a shooting spree in sleepy Blacksburg? They had locked down the building where the first shooting happened, for several hours.

Also, VA Tech has nearly 30,000 students, so it's no small decision to cancel classes. In terms of looking for the shooter, it would have been helpful to have most people where they would routinely be on a monday Morning.

I'm told the first victim was the shooter's girlfriend. This is hearsay. And the later killings were random.

[Swany]

School is a stressful place, and it is also where a lot of juvenile interaction takes place. It's also where a lot of fights happen. Eventually, they turn to extreme violence. That's my theory.

I dont think so, there was the dunblane massacre where a man just walked into a primary school and opened fire on the kids and teachers. Then shot himself.

[Jester]

Is it really 21? Is that confirmed? Because I just saw another news sourse that was as high as 31...I hope they're both wrong...and the toll is far less.

[Raph's Girl]

What I don't understand...Why did they not cancel class? The first shooting was at about 7 am, and the next shooting was later that day. I would not go to class if I knew there was a shooting on campus, and I think the campus should've gone on lockdown earlier.

The first shooting was at 7:15 am....they put the campus in lockdown....but as soon as they started releasing students again some 2 1/2 hours later...BAM! It started again.

[jeff the cheff]

It's easier than you think to cancel classes at a large college...my school is about the same size and snow day cancellations are announced on email a few hours before classes start. This time of the semester only half the seats in class are filled on a normal day, if theres bad weather it's even less...but a shooting? I know I wouldn't go to any classes. But then again they were genius engineering students, so they probably figured they had to go to class.

[Mr. Snackpants]

Is it really 21? Is that confirmed? Because I just saw another news sourse that was as high as 31...I hope they're both wrong...and the toll is far less.

When the thread was created the news was reporting 21, but now it's gone up.

[愛]

I dont think so, there was the dunblane massacre where a man just walked into a primary school and opened fire on the kids and teachers. Then shot himself.

Um...that was just one instance? Most of the other incidents involved students shooting other students.

And it's saying on most news channels that there's 32 confirmed dead. I'll change the topic title.

[iris]

I wish it were wrong. I'm hearing 32, plus 25-30 related injuries.

[jeff the cheff]

32 including the shooter. So 31 victims, plus the injured.

[Jester]

Ok, so it's 31 (according to Yahoo News and the AP), counting the gunman who was killed. Good grief. These poor students and their families.

[Swany]

Oh man. I still just can't beleive it.

I wonder what actually drove him to do it.
I know its stupid but I need to feel theres a reason for everything, I don't want to think this was an act of random. I dont want to think someone could be so horribly cruel.

[Fledermaus]

I agree, enough with the racism. It doesn't matter who did it or whether they are affiliated with some secret organization. This is "terrorism."

Yeah so tell me the gunman was a troubled, poor young man. Tell me he wanted to make a noble statement about the state of our wretched society. How he wanted to point out the hypocrisy, rebel against the disenfranchisement, punish the decadent pigs, or those who didn't agree with him fully or who represented the lethal threat in his mind. I have all sorts of reasons to be angry. But there are other ways to get that across that don't involve robbing people of their lives, their friends, sons and daughters... Especially in our country. So many people scoff at the idea of freedom of speech in America -- it may not be perfect, our country may do a LOT of things wrong, but we still have a lot more opportunity than most of the world to gather and to express ourselves.

This guy knew what he was doing to target certain buildings, wait, and then as soon as the guard lets down, he targets another. He LOCKS THE DOORS. This is oppression. (And here we are trying to rid it from other corners of the world.:roll: ) These monsters are trying to destroy our foundations by scaring us into submission. Telling us we haven't the right to walk around or even stay in our rooms without getting our heads blown off. Can't do this or can't do that, have to live under their thumb until their every whim is met. How do you deal with these people without turning our country into a concentration camp with security cameras monitoring our every move?

I'm actually ticked that the murderer is dead -- now there are some things we'll never know about him.

And all those people... those are human lives. Young people with their whole lives ahead of them. Dreams. :(

[Swany]

I agree, enough with the racism. It doesn't matter who did it or whether they are affiliated with some secret organization. This is "terrorism."

Yeah so tell me the gunman was a troubled, poor young man. Tell me he wanted to make a noble statement about the state of our wretched society. How he wanted to point out the hypocrisy, rebel against the disenfranchisement, punish the decadent pigs, or those who didn't agree with him fully or who represented the lethal threat in his mind. I have all sorts of reasons to be angry. But there are other ways to get that across that don't involve robbing people of their lives, their friends, sons and daughters... Especially in our country. So many people scoff at the idea of freedom of speech in America -- it may not be perfect, our country may do a LOT of things wrong, but we still have a lot more opportunity than most of the world to gather and to express ourselves.

This guy knew what he was doing to target certain buildings, wait, and then as soon as the guard lets down, he targets another. He LOCKS THE DOORS. This is oppression. (And here we are trying to rid it from other corners of the world.:roll: ) These monsters are trying to destroy our foundations by scaring us into submission. Telling us we haven't the right to walk around or even stay in our rooms without getting our heads blown off. Can't do this or can't do that, have to live under their thumb until their every whim is met. How do you deal with these people without turning our country into a concentration camp with security cameras monitoring our every move?

I'm actually ticked that the murderer is dead -- now there are some things we'll never know about him.

And all those people... those are human lives. Young people with their whole lives ahead of them. Dreams. :(

He took the easy way out, coward. 32 lives gone, not to mention their families, friends and what could have been.

[OA]

Unbelieveable....this is such a very sad story...whats scary is that these types of events will continue...

Man, just watched the video where you can clearly hear 27 of the shots going off...terrible...:|

[Jester]

Is it confirmed weither he killed himself, or was shot down by the athorities?

[Fledermaus]

Is it confirmed weither he killed himself, or was shot down by the athorities?

Yahoo.com just updated their article 1 minute ago. Still no clue as to whether the police shot the murderer or whether he took his own life.

[Revan]

Is it confirmed weither he killed himself, or was shot down by the athorities?

CNN just reported that the gunman took his own life. They won't say anything thing else about age or weapons

[iris]

It does sound like a planned terrorist act, but right now it doesn't look like any lofty goals were being served. Maybe this just made him feel important. Maybe he had a jacked up notion of what it means to go down in a blaze of glory.

I just hope people terrorized to the point where they start passing crazy laws or something.

After 9/11 we had a police car parked at every entrance to our school. Now we have security cameras on every building, in every building, and in every parking lot. We beefed up dorm security. We beefed up lab security. We installed automatic building locks. Only people with university ID can drive onto campus between 10:30pm and 6 am. We have conspicuous public emergency phones dotting the campus-- just hit one button to bring the police.

People still get mugged in broad daylight here.

Security precautions are good, but there's no such thing as total security.

[Voltron]

He shot himself in the face, according to MSNBC.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18134671/

[Tinuvielsdreams]

Scary...*Shakes head* The Elementary school I work at was just put on lock down on Friday because someone held up a convenience store right down the block.
Hearing something so huge and scary like this shooting terrifies me...all those poor people...it makes you realize this can happen anywhere and to anyone...*Sigh*

[Swany]

I was watching the news. Apparently the police are being blamed.
They thought he had fled after the first two shootings.

[Mecha Cow]

Terrible. Don't know what else to say, really.

[Raph's Girl]

Aaand the death toll for the shooting has risen to 33.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070416/ts_nm/usa_crime_shooting_dc_9

33 dead, 15 wounded according to the above article.

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Sh*t. I think a mod needs to update the title again...:sigh:

I've been physically ill since the news broke today. This could've just as easily been my campus. In fact, it could've happened anywhere. That's the scariest thought....

[bullet]

we've had people shoot themselves on campus before, but one student to another from my knowledge. but what do you say...and how do you react to something like this...really?

[Katie]

I just can't imagine being so angry or upset that you would take away one...let alone 32...innocents. :cry:


poor families. Poor students. We'll probably never know the real motives.

[Revan]

Has anyone heard if they have identified the shooter?

[Katie]

not yet.....they're still trying to figure out what happened and notify everyone

[ThirdMarioBro]

I just saw it on Yahoo. Crazy bastard. This is horrible.

[Voltron]

Guys, if this cannot be discussed in a civil manner, then it will not be discussed at all. If people insist on carrying on arguments in this thread it WILL be locked. If you have issues, take it to PM.

Thank you.

[Jamboree]

a most tragic event. This is getting out of hand now, these school shootings make you second guess living normally sometimes when some idiot can randomly decides he's gonna come out and try to end you.

[Cascadia]

very tragic event. It is apparently that they knew that this was going happen. The university officials did not send an e-mail fast enough to the faculty and students. In 4 days, the 8th anniversary of Columbine is coming up...these images are still very fresh in my mind.

This e-mail was in my mailbox from my current university:

The tragic shootings that occurred this morning at Virginia Tech touch
us all deeply and create a poignant sense of our common ground with
educational institutions throughout the world.

I know you join me in expressing heartfelt sympathy for the Virginia
Tech campus community and all the friends and family affected by this
tragedy.

Let me reassure you that the safety and security of our campus is
of the utmost importance. We are continually working with local
authorities to ensure our readiness for crises. We all must work
together to help prevent such acts of violence from occurring.

[bullet]

i got basically the same deal at my uni.

there's also apparently going to be a mini-forum to discuss the issue and deal with some students' distraught and weary.

[Cascadia]

The campus that I am at is very small (~5,000 students). Plus, nothing really goes in the town that I live in (20,000). I feel much safer here than I did at another university that I attended.

[bullet]

to be honest, i don't feel much safer anywhere. i think if it's gonna happen...it's gonna happen. i mean, they pretty much died for no reason.

[Cascadia]

I am not saying that I feel 100% safe but I do not think that it is necessary to look over my shoulder all of the time. I just need to be aware of my surroundings.

[Sliced]

You know, I don't know why, but I really think that we're gonna see more of this... I wouldn't be surprised really. We had montreal this summer, and now this, and another one last year if I remember correctly. 2(3) Shootings in such a short period. This is crazy. I can't believe this. I first thought that this whole thing was a memorial of an event that took place some years ago... But man was I wrong.

I just can't believe this. 33 people just died because someone simply lost it... Its just that damn easy to kill uh ? Man... And now what.. There might be 2 killers ? They're not even sure if there's another killer still running...

Well, I just hope that it will stop at 33 victims. What else to say really ?

[Cascadia]

I think that you are right, Sliced. In August of 2006, there was a shooting at Virginia Tech. During that time, the shooter broke out of prison and killed several students before he shot himself, I believe.

[Sliced]

No if I remember right, only a cop got shot. But I'll have to verify, but you're right, including that shooting, its bringing the total to 3(4) just in the last year...

[Cascadia]

It is truly a shame that people have to do this to each other. Why do they have to be so cruel to one another?

[Sliced]

Hahaha, remember that you're talking about the worst thing that ever happened to this poor planet earth... Us.

Humans are a plague... Our brains are extremely developped, yet so damn fragile... A trauma is all it takes really. Emotional or physical... Don't really matter, both are just so damn destructive.. That guy might be a poor soul who had a life who was worth ****.... We'll know soon. But really, wouldn't be too surprised to see that the guy just screamed for help on a myspace page or a blog...

Just like in the shooting of Montreal, the guy wrote on his myspace that he was in search of help, that he couldn't take it anymore... and he just lost it and went ballistic.

We're just so damn fragile. Its sad really...

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Here's an incomplete list of the confirmed dead:

http://www.collegemedia.com/stories/417-300am-none.html

I'll also put this in my first post to update it.

[That Matt Guy]

I must be living under a rock, because I had not heard about this until just now.

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Really? There's been constant news coverage for the last 24 hours...



They just released the name of the shooter:

Cho Seung-Hui, 23. English major at Virginia Tech.

That's all I managed to catch from the VT police press conference.

[iris]

I wish I hadn't looked at that list. I feel sick now.

I must be living under a rock, because I had not heard about this until just now.

Mind if I borrow your rock next time?

[OA]

Really? There's been constant news coverage for the last 24 hours...



They just released the name of the shooter:

Cho Seung-Hui, 23. English major at Virginia Tech.

That's all I managed to catch from the VT police press conference.

Yea, and they just released a pic thats supposed to be him as well...but last I saw its not confirmed its actually him...

[Raph's Girl]

Cho Seung-Hui, 23. English major at Virginia Tech.


Yep! A South Korean. The Korean embassy sent their sympathies as soon as they found out.

Apperantly he was a loner so they don't know much about him.

I saw a pic of him on CNN... scary lookin kid.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070417/ts_nm/usa_crime_shooting_dc_26

The gunman who killed 32 people and then himself at Virginia Tech university on Monday was identified by police on Tuesday as Cho Seung-Hui, a South Korean studying at the university.

Police said Cho was 23 and was studying English literature. They gave no motive for the shooting rampage, the worst in U.S. history.

Police said one of two guns recovered was used in both of the two separate shooting incidents at the campus that killed a total of 33 people, including Cho.

"The evidence has not led us to say with all certainty that the same shooter was involved in both shootings," Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police, told a news conference.

"It's certainly reasonable for us to assume that Cho was the shooter in both places."

Victims were found in at least four classrooms as well as a stairwell, he said.

"The gunman was discovered among several of the victims in one of the classrooms," Flaherty said. "He had taken his own life."

The rampage sent the sprawling rural campus, where there are more than 25,000 full-time students, into shock and grief.

Laura Bush were to attend a memorial service at Virginia Tech later on Tuesday.

Television images of terrified students and police dragging out bloody victims revived memories of the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and were likely to renew heated debate about America's gun laws.

Police said the gunman appeared to have used chains to lock doors and prevent victims from escaping. Fifteen people were wounded, including those shot and students hurt jumping from windows in a desperate attempt to flee the gunfire.

Many students expressed anger that they were not warned of any danger until more than two hours after the first attack at a dormitory -- and then only in an e-mail from the university.

"We knew that there was a shooting but we thought it was confined to a particular setting," Charles Steger, the university president, said on Monday.

Steger defended campus police from criticism they failed to take adequate safety measures after the first shooting.

"They have worked very professionally and handled this as skillfully as anybody might be able to do it," he said.

The first shooting was reported to campus police at about 7:15 a.m. (1115 GMT) in West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dormitory housing some 900 students. Two hours later, dozens of shots were fired a half-mile away at Norris Hall, site of the science and engineering school.

Authorities have not released the names of the victims but Israeli media reported one of the dead was Liviu Librescu, an Israeli citizen and engineering professor at the university.

[Mecha Cow]

Hahaha, remember that you're talking about the worst thing that ever happened to this poor planet earth... Us.

Please let's not go there again. This is neither the time nor the place for such nonsense.

[iris]

I saw a pic of him on CNN... scary lookin kid.
Why, because he's not smiling? He looks rather ordinary to me. He'd blend right into the NoVA population. Not that I have scads of experience in identifying mass murderers.

[Revan]

Many students expressed anger that they were not warned of any danger until more than two hours after the first attack at a dormitory -- and then only in an e-mail from the university.

"We knew that there was a shooting but we thought it was confined to a particular setting," Charles Steger, the university president, said on Monday.

Steger defended campus police from criticism they failed to take adequate safety measures after the first shooting.

"They have worked very professionally and handled this as skillfully as anybody might be able to do it," he said.

That is quite unfortunate. I don't know if I would go to class if the university contacted me and said there had been a shooting. I think the students have a right to be angered.

[Voltron]

I agree. They had two hours and a solid lead on the suspect, but little was done about it. Two hours later he kills thirty-three victims and injures dozens more. Two hours.

Not to mention he was walking around campus for two hours. Isn't there security present on campus? Wouldn't an APB be put out for this character?


In all reality, if I had found out that I sent my kid to a university that deals with two shootings by sending out a vague email cautioning students not to worry about police activity? I'd hit the roof.

These students have every right to be angered, and the families of the victims have every right to sue this college into oblivion.

[Masked Ninja]

I think it was slow notification to be sure... but who would have thought that the gunman would hang around for more? They probably thought he'd just taken off, as most normal people (even normal murderers) would do.

You can play the "coulda shoulda woulda" game, but while there's stuff they could have improved, I don't think they were exactly negligent. Shootings this terrible are rare for a reason. But they really would have benefited from sending that email out faster, I think. Or would the students really have thought there would be a continued threat, enough to not go to class in a very public place?

And phew, my friend isn't on the list... yet. *prays...*

[iris]

I think they did their best in the circumstances. They apparently had reason to think that the gunman had left campus. They were actively looking for him. It's not like shootings occur in Blacksburg very often, so it's doubtful they were nonchalant about this to begin with.

[Revan]

My opinion remains, they should have cancelled classes and notified the students faster. But I wonder what the best course of action would have been. Is there a procedure for something like this?

[bullet]

i agree w/ iris...especially considering that it's basically impossible to identify who is and who isn't a murderer walking around on campus. ordinarily, no one checks what you're carrying on you as long as you keep it well hidden...and they have tens of thousands of students + thousands of visitors on any given day...so. i mean, if some whacked mofo wanted to take out 32 people with him and his mind is set on doing it, it's gonna be pretty much impossible to prevent it from happening unless someone knows exactly what he's up to. it's like terrorism, i mean, people who really want to do evil will get their way ...especially since he's willing to blow off his own face.

[jeff the cheff]

Ok so he got away after the first shooting. The cops probably should've been able to find him...but they didn't. I don't think that is the main problem here, though. They sent an email saying don't worry about all the cops. Their reasoning behind not canceling classes for the day and tell everyone to stay inside was that the gunman "probably" fled the campus.

Are you serious? You're just going to assume that he left the campus, just because it's your best guess? They cancel classes because of the weather being dangerous, but not because a murderer is on the loose?

[Cascadia]

My opinion remains, they should have cancelled classes and notified the students faster. But I wonder what the best course of action would have been. Is there a procedure for something like this?

I do not know...my local university sent each student a copy of their emergency plans. They suggested to lock all doors before a shooting occurred.

[bullet]

hm i can hear the national anthem out there...we just had a campus-wide moment of silence.

[ZariusTwo]

http://img.ringlyrics.com/34qo6xj.gif

Beleive it or not, this is a REAL ad.

[Revan]

http://img.ringlyrics.com/34qo6xj.gif

Beleive it or not, this is a REAL ad.

Simply... terrible. I almost wrote unbelievable but sadly nowadays, it's quite believable that someone would do this.

[Jamboree]

Simply... terrible. I almost wrote unbelievable but sadly nowadays, it's quite believable that someone would do this.

Whoa! that was quick.:o I swear that have one of those for practically everything. shoot the ganster...pump more oil than bush... blow up the terrorist... slap the sumos belly... outfart the girl... I thought I seen em all, but they find a way to top it every time.

[Sliced]

A journal said that Cho Seung-Hui was treated for depression, and that he was becoming more and more violent...

They also were able to prove that one of the two pistols was used in both shootings...

So, its just pretty sure that he was the one who did both shootings. And the guy seemed pretty unstable, so he was ''knowing'' what he was doing.. He sure needed to be extra careful with all the ammo he was carrying. But was he hidding all of that in his room on the campus ? Sure could be easy to do so.. but he still had alot of stuff to hide..

EDIT : I remember a similar ad, about american soldiers killed in Iraq, they do them all the time, should be brought down soon enough..

[Jon]

^ Yeah, I just heard a bit about that.

Seems he was a rather disturbed individual. Writing graphic (and disturbing) papers for what were supposed to be reports and essays. Including a pretty recent one rambling of suicide and getting rid of certain people (for how they were/acted, etc.).

[Voltron]

I think they did their best in the circumstances. They apparently had reason to think that the gunman had left campus. They were actively looking for him. It's not like shootings occur in Blacksburg very often, so it's doubtful they were nonchalant about this to begin with.

Some are reporting that a similar situation occured in the area not too long ago.


Two hours, they had an idea of who this guy was, too. The email could have been a bit more detailed, instead playing the "cryptic, we're in control here" angle.

No matter what evidence comes to light, I still say some of the blame rests on the shoulders of the school.

Look, when you take on the responsibility of running a university, then you take on the responsibility of handling the problems at that university, no matter how severe. Now, in the aftermath, nobody wants to handle the consequences.

Now, I would have empathized with everyone if the gunman had gone on a fifteen minute killing spree. Then there's no time to really react. But they had two hours to formulate some kind of contingency.

Sure, there's a potential for panic. But then again, that's the situation, isn't it?

I guess it boils down to: Would you like to have known this guy was out there?

[Raph's Girl]

Writing graphic (and disturbing) papers for what were supposed to be reports and essays. Including a pretty recent one rambling of suicide and getting rid of certain people (for how they were/acted, etc.).

One of his essays, a play, was so disturbing that the teacher sent him to counceling. That play is online....I haven't read it but reading the plot synopsis certainly made me go "WTF?!"

He also left a note in his dorm stating his hatred for rich people.

[Sliced]

Again a case of a poor soul screaming for help, and no one really wanting to hear it. I mean it was just obvious.. The guy was treated for depression and was said to become very violent, mix that with the essays and the play...

The guy asked for help in his own ''way''.

[Jon]

Some are reporting that a similar situation occured in the area not too long ago.


Two hours, they had an idea of who this guy was, too. The email could have been a bit more detailed, instead playing the "cryptic, we're in control here" angle.

No matter what evidence comes to light, I still say some of the blame rests on the shoulders of the school.

Look, when you take on the responsibility of running a university, then you take on the responsibility of handling the problems at that university, no matter how severe. Now, in the aftermath, nobody wants to handle the consequences.

Now, I would have empathized with everyone if the gunman had gone on a fifteen minute killing spree. Then there's no time to really react. But they had two hours to formulate some kind of contingency.

Sure, there's a potential for panic. But then again, that's the situation, isn't it?

I guess it boils down to: Would you like to have known this guy was out there?


Well... from what I've heard on the news, they weren't sure who had done it for a while.
Infact, there was reporting that initially they had thoughts the first incident might have been a murder/suicide (which, likely, was the reason of continuing classes).

But, at any rate. This is (plain-and-simple) a horrific tragedy.

[Katie]

Again a case of a poor soul screaming for help, and no one really wanting to hear it. I mean it was just obvious.. The guy was treated for depression and was said to become very violent, mix that with the essays and the play...

The guy asked for help in his own ''way''.


Well....he did get counseling, though....and the department head did reach out to him and try and connect with him. He had to WANT help to benefit from it and I have a feeling that he probably considered this help to be a front.

as for the depression....people are depressed and never do stuff like this (hell, I have been diagnosed with clinical depression a couple times in my life) They usually harm themselves not others.

As for his writing....it is an interesting window to his brain. People write violent things like that every day and would never dream of doing such a thing. the writing creates the output for their feelings and it never goes any farther. Just because you write it does not mean you're gonna do it.

Each of those things individually is not the beacon to tag and say "yep, that's it everyone who has/does this stuff will certianly follow suit" (I've seen alot of that today in the media "OH NOEZ THE STORIES HE WROTE")

BUT put them together and you may have a time bomb....Reasearchers have looked at what causes people to do things like this and have found three prominent pillers: Mental Disorders, Brain injury, and an Abusive history. the first two to impair judgement and the final to kindle the anger you need to carry out something as horrific as what we saw yesterday. It will be interesting to see the background of this guy and what was making him tick...and if he had all those three factors.

[Sliced]

Well....he did get counseling, though....and the department head did reach out to him and try and connect with him. He had to WANT help to benefit from it and I have a feeling that he probably considered this help to be a front.

That's true, to want help is of course the first step.

as for the depression....people are depressed and never do stuff like this (hell, I have been diagnosed with clinical depression a couple times in my life) They usually harm themselves not others.

True again, but this guy was depressed, and quite violent and aggressive. Its not everyone who get depressed, that get that aggressive. Just that is a good indicator that he was unstable. Not just depressed.

As for his writing....it is an interesting window to his brain. People write violent things like that every day and would never dream of doing such a thing. the writing creates the output for their feelings and it never goes any farther. Just because you write it does not mean you're gonna do it.

No, but just mix that with my above comment, and you need to be careful with such people. Now, did it all happen in the same time.. The depression, the essays, the play, the level of aggressivity... This, we don't know. But it doesn't really matter, it just adds up to one another.

Each of those things individually is not the beacon to tag and say "yep, that's it everyone who has/does this stuff will certianly follow suit" (I've seen alot of that today in the media "OH NOEZ THE STORIES HE WROTE")

BUT put them together and you may have a time bomb....Reasearchers have looked at what causes people to do things like this and have found three prominent pillers: Mental Disorders, Brain injury, and an Abusive history. the first two to impair judgement and the final to kindle the anger you need to carry out something as horrific as what we saw yesterday. It will be interesting to see the background of this guy and what was making him tick...and if he had all those three factors

What we know so far : He did had mental disorders (depression and violence), brain injury might be emotional injury in this case as it was mentionned that he wanted to get his girlfriend. They surely broke up and that triggered the madness acts. As for Abusive history, we didn't have any details on that one yet that I remember.. Or you could maybe put the lost of his girlfriend in this category...

Really, we will of course be centered when we have all the details. But its pretty clear to me, that something could have been done for that guy, that never was done. I don't know what people can do in these kind of situation, but I'm sure that something more radical could have been done for him. But like I said, I don't know what...

[Cascadia]

What sounds like to me is that the papers and assignments that he wrote were warning signs that he was getting upset and depressed about something. It was good that professor requested that he would go see a counselor. However, it is difficult to determine how long ago that was.

This is what my local university suggest

Threats may be statements of intention or expressions of strong
emotion. They can be indirect or direct, verbal or nonverbal. Shaking
a fist, pounding a desk, throwing things, and showing a weapon are all
examples of nonverbal threats. Verbal threats may be indirect expressions
of frustration or anger directed toward a person or office, or they may be
direct statements of the intention to harm.

These situations are complex, and it is not expected that individuals will
be able to assess whether the threat is serious and might actually lead
to harm. However, it is expected that University employees treat every
threat or display of hate as serious and potentially harmful.
Most people who commit violent acts exhibit warning signs. It is
important that any behaviors or words that imply a threat are taken
seriously, and the appropriate people are notified to assess the risk and to
plan interventions.

[Katie]

She sent him to the counselor a year ago.


I just hate that anyone who writes anything even remotely dark for awhile will be under the microscope for possible future acts of violence. THAT'S my main pet peeve with them going all out on this writing thing.

I think it's awfully interesting how the media will latch on to certian things and bring those points up in EVERY interview that is done trying to support their ideas. (the notification and the writing being my main two at the moment)

Oh and...I REALLY feel bad for that guy's parents. Imagine the stigma they now have. Two more innocent victims.

[iris]

Some are reporting that a similar situation occured in the area not too long ago.
Yes. There was an escaped convict and there were deaths. My point was that this is a rare event in Blacksburg and it would have gotten their full attention.

Two hours, they had an idea of who this guy was, too. The email could have been a bit more detailed, instead playing the "cryptic, we're in control here" angle.

No matter what evidence comes to light, I still say some of the blame rests on the shoulders of the school.

Look, when you take on the responsibility of running a university, then you take on the responsibility of handling the problems at that university, no matter how severe. Now, in the aftermath, nobody wants to handle the consequences.

Now, I would have empathized with everyone if the gunman had gone on a fifteen minute killing spree. Then there's no time to really react. But they had two hours to formulate some kind of contingency.

Sure, there's a potential for panic. But then again, that's the situation, isn't it?

I guess it boils down to: Would you like to have known this guy was out there?
Well, yeah, but they they thought he wasn't out there. They had the area of the first shooting on lockdown for a while, until they thought it was safe. They were wrong. There was no way they could have expected a lengthy time window and then a killing spree.

I'm not saying those emails were perfectly written. They were lacking. Clearly, someone didn't think of a mass murderer running around campus when they drafted the Emergency Preparedness plans.

I guess I prefer to lay blame with the actual killer, not the university personnel who failed to see into the psyche of a hypothetical killer and plan ahead.

[jeff the cheff]

I still think the university personell are to blame. They didn't really have any good reason to assume he left the campus, it was more of a guess.

[Cascadia]

But how would the university personnel be able to keep track of where all 25,000 students are on campus or off-campus?

[Voltron]

Yes. There was an escaped convict and there were deaths. My point was that this is a rare event in Blacksburg and it would have gotten their full attention.

How many times does it need to happen before it stops becoming a concern?


Well, yeah, but they they thought he wasn't out there. They had the area of the first shooting on lockdown for a while, until they thought it was safe. They were wrong. There was no way they could have expected a lengthy time window and then a killing sprell.


The point remains the same. This guy had 2 hours to wander around 2,600 acre campus. Authorities might not have known who he was, but if they were putting together the pieces of the first murders, then they would have had some semblance of who this man was, and would have had little to no trouble putting out an APB for this guy. This guy, who, mind you, was walking around campus for two hours.

Where were the security guards? Where was the man-hunt?

I'm not saying those emails were perfectly written. They were lacking. Clearly, someone didn't think of a mass murderer running around campus when they drafted the Emergency Preparedness plans.

I guess I prefer to lay blame with the actual killer, not the university personnel who failed to see into the psyche of a hypothetical killer and plan ahead.


I don't mean to be polemic.

Saying that "They thought he left campus" is the most ridiculous excuse I've ever heard. What irresponsible clod decided this guy left, anyway? Did they check the whole campus? He's a murderer! It's not like a bunch of kittens escaped! The guy killed two people and disappeared. Who knows where he could be? If there was even a chance he was still on campus, then he could've still been on campus. Doesn't anyone subscribe to Murphy's Law?


That's the last I'll say on the matter. I promise.

[iris]

How many times does it need to happen before it stops becoming a concern?

It won't stop being a concern. All I know is that where I live murders don't cause as much of an interruption as in smaller towns.

I do think you have a point. A number of years ago, I approached my own university with security and information dissemination concerns after we were hit by a tornado nobody seemed to know about until they heard it directly overhead (and this was right after 9/11, and we had the anthrax threats and such around here). I see lots of ways these systems could be improved.

But I'm just jaded, I guess. Things happened, it's over, and nothing will undo it. I can't bring myself to be upset at people who are already casualties of the situation. They'll be living with their choices for the rest of their lives. Nobody's so good at lying to themselves that they wouldn't berate themselves over something like this.

Maybe that's more depressed than jaded. Heh. Whatever. I'm just happy I didn't have an anxiety attack this time.

[Spike Spiegel]

Everything shold have been LOCKED down after the first shooting took place--maybe then more lives would been spared.:ohwell: I'm glad the shooter is dead, though.

[Mr. Snackpants]

Everything shold have been LOCKED down after the first shooting took place--maybe then more lives would been spared.:ohwell: I'm glad the shooter is dead, though.

I'm not. I wish his @ss was in jail right now...but he got off easy.

[LogicDonny]

you think the gunman would have been better in jail than to be dead? Makes no sense? The gunman is probably burning in hell for his sins..

[Anarky]

Now before this evolves into a religious debate, let it be known that religious debates are not allowed. Now go on.

[Jo Dawn]

Everything shold have been LOCKED down after the first shooting took place--maybe then more lives would been spared.:ohwell: I'm glad the shooter is dead, though.

Well, it was locked down. Problem was they missed him and unlocked it all. Though it's almost better off that he's dead (and I hate to say that about anyone) I'd really like to know just why. Get in his head a little. I mean, the time lapse showed that this was all planned and whatnot.

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Latest word: Apparently, Cho sent a few things to NBC before the 2nd shooting:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/us/18cnd-virginia.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print


April 18, 2007
Network Turns ‘Disturbing’ Package Over to F.B.I.
By CHRISTINE HAUSER

The gunman responsible for the shootings at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute mailed photographs, video and writings to the NBC television news network, apparently sending them off between the two attacks on campus that killed 32 people and himself.

NBC, which turned the material over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, described the materials as a “disturbing, rambling multi-page statement,” along with the video and photos.

“This may be a very new critical component of this investigation,” said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, the superintendent of the Virginia State Police, at a news conference. Authorities are now in the process of evaluating its worth, he said.

NBC said the materials arrived in the mail this morning, but the network and the police did not immediately disclose their contents.

There's more, but this is the newest info.

[Mr. Snackpants]

you think the gunman would have been better in jail than to be dead? Makes no sense? The gunman is probably burning in hell for his sins..

If he was in jail he would set there for years, and rot away. Then he would die and get whatever is coming to him. So it does make sense.

[LogicDonny]

nah.. he should have been stoned, tortured then hanged for the ultimate crime in america's history.

[That Matt Guy]

nah.. he should have been stoned, tortured then hanged for the ultimate crime in america's history.

Since all of those punishments are illegal in the US, I highly doubt it. And how is this "the ultimate crime" in US history?

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

NBC News is showing a few clips of the video he sent. My God, he really should've been locked up a LONG time ago...

[Cascadia]

tomorrow night my local university is holding a candlelight service for Virginia Tech along with sending cards and peace cranes to them.

[iris]

That's very nice sci freak. :)

If he was in jail he would set there for years, and rot away. Then he would die and get whatever is coming to him. So it does make sense.
In VA? No, they'd execute him lickity split.

Yet another reason to abolish capital punishment.

Although there's a rather good case for insanity here, so he might have been instituionalized.

Anyway, it's all moot. This was basically an elaborate suicide to ensure himself posthumous notoriety.

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

The Alumni Association of VT wants to promote "Hokie Hope" on April 20th (this Friday). "Hokie Hope" is when all Hokies wear orange and maroon to show love for VT. Also Governor Tim Kaine has declared this Friday to be a statewide day of mourning.

[LogicDonny]

the hockey game had a moment of silence during the canucks vs dallas game last night with what happened a few days ago.

[JetsAndHeels]

NBC News is showing a few clips of the video he sent. My God, he really should've been locked up a LONG time ago...

I agree...this guy freaks me out and I am not afraid to admit it. I heard some of the people describe his demeanor on the news, but to see it in the video clips and in his pictures is just unreal. I know this has to be like salt in the wound for the families and friends of the deceased.

[jeff the cheff]

I read one of his plays.

They're ****ed up!

[bullet]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18143312/page/2/

Liviu Librescu, 76, an engineering science and mechanics lecturer. Born in Romania, he survived the Nazi Holocaust and emigrated to Israel in 1978 before moving to Virginia in 1985.

An Israeli citizen, he had taught at Virginia Tech for 20 years and was internationally known for his work in aeronautical engineering.

"His research has enabled better aircraft, superior composite materials, and more robust aerospace structures," said Ishwar Puri, the head of the engineering science and mechanics department.

After surviving the Nazi killings, Librescu escaped from communist Romania and made his way to the United States before he was killed in Monday’s massacre, which coincided with Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Librescu's son, Joe, said his father's students sent e-mails detailing how the professor saved their lives by blocking the doorway of his classroom from the approaching gunman before he was fatally shot.

“My father blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee,” Joe Librescu said from his home outside Tel Aviv, Israel. “Students started opening windows and jumping out.”

it hurt a lot to read something like this...amazing people lost for no reason.

[Katie]

it hurt a lot to read something like this...amazing people lost for no reason.


The guy didn't discriminate. He killed Black guys and white guys...asians and people of middle eastern decent...a Puerto Rican and a Mexican...an Indonesian kid, an Indian kid...Guys... girls...young and old...no one was spared.

What really got me was how they were talking about how he hated rich kids so much....but seeing the house he grew up in and where he was at college, I'd wager his family was not struggling too hard financially. Kind of a hypocrite, really.

He said he did it for his brother and sister. Wonder what they think about that.

[bullet]

The guy didn't discriminate. He killed Black guys and white guys...asians and people of middle eastern decent...a Puerto Rican and a Mexican...an Indonesian kid, an Indian kid...Guys... girls...young and old...no one was spared.

What really got me was how they were talking about how he hated rich kids so much....but seeing the house he grew up in and where he was at college, I'd wager his family was not struggling too hard financially. Kind of a hypocrite, really.

He said he did it for his brother and sister. Wonder what they think about that.

yeah he didn't. i mean i wasn't referring to the ethnicity of the person he killed...but the fact that the professor was such an amazing person cuz he blocked the door physically and told his students to run. that's a real life hero right there.

[Cascadia]

It is very sad but awesome at the same time. He sacrificed his own life for his students. That was very noble of him. When Columbine occurred, the only adult to be shot was a teacher. He too was protecting his students in his classroom. As a future teacher, I will not discriminate my students...each of them are different in their own ways.

[Katie]

yeah he didn't. i mean i wasn't referring to the ethnicity of the person he killed...but the fact that the professor was such an amazing person cuz he blocked the door physically and told his students to run. that's a real life hero right there.

Oh, i know. All the different ethnicities was just an observation of mine.

on the Holocaust survivor, his family was saying something to the effect that God spared him from that fate so that he could be here in the moment he could make a diffrence to so many. amazing really.

[Tinuvielsdreams]

The stories the news keep adding are overwhelming. I heard one of the girls who attended that school happen to be at Colombine too?! If that is true I can't imagine the terror she is reliving.

You have to think about the killers family too, what must they think and what has this done to their lives...god this is terrible...

The guy didn't discriminate he just opened fire on everyone in the class rooms he was near. That professor was a hero, and I hope everyone remembers him.

Its so hard to explain all this...I have been dreading my classes because the kids who are all between 5- 9 yrs old have been asking me questions...they see the paper and ask me what stops someone from shooting in their school...This is all too disturbing...the ripples something like this makes reach even elementary school children. What do you say...:cry:

[Cascadia]

last night I got a handout on how to handle this situation with young students. It...I...We framework. It (What happened?) It is not necessary to process "why" at this point. I (How do I feel about it?) This may be personal journaling, pair processing, group discussion. We (What can we do?) The focus here is on taking some positive action, which may be as simple as additional discussion, or may be a more complex project of some sort.

[Sunshine]

Personally I wouldn't of agreed with how the school hadled it even if there HADN'T been another shooting. People where dead. I do not think classes should of been resumed that day at all. Everyone should of been alerted to what happened. You don't just go "several students were killed, now just go with your day"

[Swany]

I agree, someone messed up big time. What were they thinking.

I still can't beleive this though. How could someone do such a thing?

[Sewer Bull]

How about guns becoming less accessible?

[愛]

The right to bear arms in the Constitution prevents stuff like that. However, we could pass regulations for gun ownership, such as requiring gun safes and things of that nature. That'd keep access to guns for children down.

[iris]

How about guns becoming less accessible?
Things like this happen in places where there are strict gun laws. If there's a will, there's a way. But you are right because Cho should not have been sold any guns with his record.

To be honest, I don't mind having an armed populace. I don't like the government to have all the weapons. That's why we have the 2nd ammendment.

[Sunshine]

Sadly anyone who is determined enough can find a way. Even without guns. If someone wants that badly to kill people they will find a way. But these days people tend to ignore warning signs more often then not. Still when things like this do happen how they are handled can make the difference in how bad the situation becomes. This is a good example. If they had reacted differently there may of been less loss of life. I still can't get over the fact that they just were going to go on with the day like nothing had happened. Several people died and it only stopped classes and things for 2 hours? To me that is like saying that those lives weren't worth stopping the classes for the day or alerting the students. If I attended that school I'd be furious. I'm sure a lot of the people who were sent off to classes two hours after the first shooting were friends of the dead or at least knew them. The students had the right to know that people were dead and that the one who killed them was not caught even if they believed the killer had left the grounds.

[bullet]

Personally I wouldn't of agreed with how the school hadled it even if there HADN'T been another shooting. People where dead. I do not think classes should of been resumed that day at all. Everyone should of been alerted to what happened. You don't just go "several students were killed, now just go with your day"

well i think that's a bit extreme.

i mean of a school with over 20 thousand people it's not that easy to cancel everyone's schedules at the drop of a hat. we've had on more than one occasion people who shot themselves in their dorms and school went on as usual for us. we also had people shot dead near the university central just outside of campus but school still went on. sure we received warnings about the incident and the number of patrols suddenly rose...but we didn't all just pack up and go home. they could've been more cautious but as i mentioned, i don't really think it's at all possible to prevent something like this from occuring, some people are so determined that they'll make it happen either way.

[Jester]

Ok, new tangent: The Saturday prior to the shootings at Virgina Tech SNL aired this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zmjc4FJxk

I thought it was very funny...but in connections with recent events...what are your thoughts.

[愛]

A kid shoots up a school, and suddenly guns aren't fun anymore? Too convenient.

[bullet]

Ok, new tangent: The Saturday prior to the shootings at Virgina Tech SNL aired this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zmjc4FJxk

I thought it was very funny...but in connections with recent events...what are your thoughts.

haha...i found it hilarious...but don't see too much connection to the recent event.

[Jester]

True...both sides of the gun control issue are jumping up and down on this one. If people had guns they could have stoped him, if noone has guns, this wouldn't have happened. *shrugs* Why is it no one blames the killer, but instead blames the culture?

[Kunoichi_Haruko]

Ok, new tangent: The Saturday prior to the shootings at Virgina Tech SNL aired this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zmjc4FJxk

I thought it was very funny...but in connections with recent events...what are your thoughts.

Honestly...I didn't get it. I read some of the comments and apparently it's a spoof of the OC, and since I don't watch that show, some of the humor goes over my head. That being said, I've always loved Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek", and it's kinda funny how they use the song, but yeah, I guess I may have laughed a little more if 1) I got the OC reference and 2) The VT shootings never took place.

[bullet]

Why is it no one blames the killer, but instead blames the culture?

cuz dude, he's dead...blaming him isn't going to get special interests across. :P

[Jester]

Oh, yeah right Brain...Narf!
http://www.csn.ul.ie/~carol/pinky1.jpg

[Draconic]

Eidt:
Nevermind, it's been said
/Edit

But I guess this is slightly off topic. It sucks what happened, it's just a good thing it ended when it did, and not any later.

[iris]

Ok, new tangent: The Saturday prior to the shootings at Virgina Tech SNL aired this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Zmjc4FJxk

I thought it was very funny...but in connections with recent events...what are your thoughts.

Still funny. And I've never seen The OC, but it was clearly a spoof of OMG!Drama!Teens tv.

[raphaelprime]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18203613/

i think what happened is just messed up

[bullet]

i think it can be summed up as WTF.

what is it...now these cowardly criminals have a role model?

[iris]

I'm guessing that guy just wants attention.


... I still have no idea what to say to all the Hokies I run into every day. :cry:

[ZariusTwo]

I got that SNL skit, and I've never watched much of The OC, I think the joke is blatantly obvious.

[Cascadia]

I'm guessing that guy just wants attention.


... I still have no idea what to say to all the Hokies I run into every day. :cry:

I wish I could tell you...I am still speechless to this date.

[Revan]

I know it doesn't really matter but has the boys family made any public statements about this tragedy?

[iris]

I know it doesn't really matter but has the boys family made any public statements about this tragedy?
Yes. They sent a message through a lawyer. Here at CNN. (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/20/shooting.family.statement/)

[Revan]

Yes. They sent a message through a lawyer. Here at CNN. (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/20/shooting.family.statement/)

oh my goodness. That is a very sad statement. I can't even imagine. btw thanks for the link iris

[bullet]

This is someone that I grew up with and loved. Now I feel like I didn't know this person.

yeah...i can't imagine how much emotional distraught they must be experiencing.