VA - Virginia Tech Shooting, 32 murdered, 23 injured, 16 April 2007

[squeaky]

According to the cover story in Newsweek, Emily Hirschler's boyfriend was a gun-owner and had even taken her to the firing range at one point. The same firing range that Cho frequented. In fact, her boyfriend had just dropped her off at her dorm shortly before Cho killed her.

It seems entirely likely to me that Cho picked Emily as his first victim because he knew for certain that her boyfriend was a gun owner and enthusiast (presuming he saw them at the firing range at some point, which seems very plausible). He probably figured (correctly, as it turned out) that the police would immediately consider the boyfriend the prime suspect, given his interest in firearms.

Of course, while the police were busy questioning her boyfriend and scrambling to find the murder weapon in his possession, Cho would be planning his next step, with the police completely distracted and under the impression that they had the killer in custody already - hence, the more "relaxed" reaction by VT authorities to let classes go on as scheduled.

Just a theory.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18248298/site/newsweek/

 

[Floh]

Seems Cho went on quite a spending spree. Even rented a Van from Enterprise Rent A Car for a month. Must of been no end to his deep pockets for a college student.

Investigators piece together Cho's spending spree

yes, but wasn't everthing on a credit card(s)? credit cards are very easy to obtain. i wonder when he got his credit card(s?). and how often he used them and to what extent before he got the guns and rented the car?

no 'deep pockets' involved. not of his own, anyway.

 

[Floh]

According to the cover story in Newsweek, Emily Hirschler's boyfriend was a gun-owner and had even taken her to the firing range at one point. The same firing range that Cho frequented. In fact, her boyfriend had just dropped her off at her dorm shortly before Cho killed her.

It seems entirely likely to me that Cho picked Emily as his first victim because he knew for certain that her boyfriend was a gun owner and enthusiast (presuming he saw them at the firing range at some point, which seems very plausible). He probably figured (correctly, as it turned out) that the police would immediately consider the boyfriend the prime suspect, given his interest in firearms.

Of course, while the police were busy questioning her boyfriend and scrambling to find the murder weapon in his possession, Cho would be planning his next step, with the police completely distracted and under the impression that they had the killer in custody already - hence, the more "relaxed" reaction by VT authorities to let classes go on as scheduled.

Just a theory.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18248298/site/newsweek/

I'm behind your theory. it suggests, also, Cho was very intelligent with his planning. i think.

i wonder how many he had originally planned to kill? did he achieve his target figure?

 

[Taximom]

yes, but wasn't everthing on a credit card(s)? credit cards are very easy to obtain. i wonder when he got his credit card(s?). and how often he used them and to what extent before he got the guns and rented the car?

no 'deep pockets' involved. not of his own, anyway.

If it is true that he rented a van for an entire month, someone is indeed stuck with a HUGE bill. We rented a van for 3 days last year and it was approx. $400!! I can't imagine an entire month.

 

[ljwf22]

Angelmom,
thanks for sharing that. Has your son seemed to come through that hard time without lasting effects that you can tell?
My son was being picked on/bullied on his school bus. Get this!!--- When I requested a meeting with the principal and told her this kid was picking stuff up off the bus floor and jamming it into my son's mouth, she said (after hearing the mean child's name) "OH I know him. He is definatley not a bully". :banghead:
I have driven him to school since then. Very frustrating. I also don't want to over-intervene. I don't want to create adults out of my chlidren who have this modern day attitude that "I don't have to put up with this!" and can't hold a job. THat's another discussion another day. But bullying is a huge issue for parents.

Angelmom, almost every school bus today has a video camera. I'd ask to see the tape. This principal dropped the ball on this one. She didn't even ask the driver if they'd seen anything? I don't blame you for being frustrated.

 

[Jade]

Is that online anywhere? That's interesting.

http://www.smithsonianmagazine.com/issues/2007/april/interview-grinker.php

Here is the interview about autism from Smithsonian.

snip>>>How do some other cultures deal with autism?
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, people on the autism spectrum are often recognized for having great skills. Either because they are seen as more in touch with the spirit world, or they're recognized for their skill at, say, knowing what every plant is for. Similarly, the Navajo view a person with autism more as someone who never became an adult than as someone disordered. They talk about autism as perpetual childhood. In Senegal some societies call autistics "marvelous children." Even in the United States, I've heard people talk about them being closer to God; they're honest, they seldom lie, they're more pure. I found that belief in India as well. <<<snip


The interview is with an anthropologist sharing his experience with his autistic daughter.

 

[Taximom]

http://www.smithsonianmagazine.com/issues/2007/april/interview-grinker.php

Here is the interview about autism from Smithsonian.

snip>>>How do some other cultures deal with autism?
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, people on the autism spectrum are often recognized for having great skills. Either because they are seen as more in touch with the spirit world, or they're recognized for their skill at, say, knowing what every plant is for. Similarly, the Navajo view a person with autism more as someone who never became an adult than as someone disordered. They talk about autism as perpetual childhood. In Senegal some societies call autistics "marvelous children." Even in the United States, I've heard people talk about them being closer to God; they're honest, they seldom lie, they're more pure. I found that belief in India as well. <<<snip


The interview is with an anthropologist sharing his experience with his autistic daughter.

I am totally NOT being sarcastic when I ask: Do they have immunization shots/schedules like we do in India, Senegal and the Congo? I'd really like to know. I hope there have been studies regarding this.

Thanks for the article link, Jade! :blowkiss:

OOPS, I thought this was on the autism thread! And I thought Amraann posted the link. D'oh.

 

[Curious J]

I'm behind your theory. it suggests, also, Cho was very intelligent with his planning. i think.

i wonder how many he had originally planned to kill? did he achieve his target figure?

I wonder if there was a lot of luck with Cho being able to kill as many as he did? Sure he had a plan, but there were a lot of things that could have happened to thwart the plan.

This may have already been discussed, but did he target a couple of the victims or did he choose just randomly. Just why that particular dorm and the 4th floor and why Norris Hall and the 2nd floor? Will we ever get those answers.

In addition, if his motive was about the rich and hedonistic students, then why not the frats and sororoties. The Engineering building houses some pretty serous classes and the students would be hard workers. Maybe it was the language classes. And, I feel particular sad with all those grad students in the Hydrology class.

 

[2luvmy]

College campuses are jackpots for credit card companies. He could have had his own credit card with a no payment special, etc.

 

[Masterj]

College campuses are jackpots for credit card companies. He could have had his own credit card with a no payment special, etc.

Absolutely! Stopping credit card predators at colleges is one of my pet projects.

 

[cheko1]

yes, but wasn't everthing on a credit card(s)? credit cards are very easy to obtain. i wonder when he got his credit card(s?). and how often he used them and to what extent before he got the guns and rented the car?

no 'deep pockets' involved. not of his own, anyway.

In Feb we were in Florida & our truck broke down we rented from Enterprise Rent a Car & it cost us over $400.00 like taximom.

If he never had car insurance then it cost him more. So a month!:waitasec:

Most credit cards have a limit.

 

[angelmom]

Angelmom, almost every school bus today has a video camera. I'd ask to see the tape. This principal dropped the ball on this one. She didn't even ask the driver if they'd seen anything? I don't blame you for being frustrated.

Sorry, that was laini, not me. Luckily, my kids don't ride the bus, and now hers don't either.

But that's a great point. I hope she sees this! It wouldn't have occurred to me at all.

 

[dark_shadows]

BOSTON - An adjunct professor was fired after leading a classroom discussion about the Virginia Tech shootings in which he pointed a marker at some students and said "pow."

Professor fired



Respectfully,
dark_shadows

 

[hallowedbe]

BOSTON - An adjunct professor was fired after leading a classroom discussion about the Virginia Tech shootings in which he pointed a marker at some students and said "pow."

Professor fired



Respectfully,
dark_shadows

So much for academic freedom.

 

[philamena]

So much for academic freedom.

I don't know......considering that 32 people died a week ago, by the hand of a deranged gunman, maybe the professor should have been warned. Than again, maybe he should have been fired.The largest massacre in US history is no laughing matter.

 

[Nova]

The classroom doors on the campus where I teach do lock, but only with a key. The custodial staff goes through the buildings unlocking the doors in the early morning and then locking them up in the evenings. As a instructor I have no control over the locking of the doors. I think that there are good reasons for not having lockable classroom doors on university campuses. In the case of an emergency, it could be dangerous to be accidentally or intentionally locked into the classroom. The drawback to locked doors on a daily basis outweighs the benefits in the remote case of a mass murderer, IMO.

This has been true everywhere I've taught. I agree there are good reasons for it, not the least of which is that with professors and students moving from room to room, you'd end up with people locked out of their class at least half the time. Or else you'd give out so many keys, there'd be no point to locking the doors at all, because everyone would have a key.

 

[Nova]

I certainly agree and hope that this class is no longer offered. It's going to be bad enough for the students to put this tragedy out of their minds that they don't need to be reminded of it as part of curriculum.

Higher education is pretty much based on the belief that "putting tragedy out of one's mind" is more harmful than good.

Were I the professor of that course, I'd certainly make special arrangements for traumatized students under these circumstances. But if anything, mass-murder by a shooter obsessed with violent culture makes such a class all the more relevant, not less.

 

[hallowedbe]

I don't know......considering that 32 people died a week ago, by the hand of a deranged gunman, maybe the professor should have been warned. Than again, maybe he should have been fired.The largest massacre in US history is no laughing matter.

I thought the professor and his colleagues had been told to engage their students in discussion and prevention. It sounds like that is what he did - they were role-playing - a dry run of what you would actually do "if." The students were not offended. Maybe something was left out, but I think firing the guy is a bit much. I think he was probably trying to do what he was asked - I don't know. A reprimand in his file might have been better. I'll bet he sues to get his job back. Knee jerk reaction?

 

[laini]

Angelmom, almost every school bus today has a video camera. I'd ask to see the tape. This principal dropped the ball on this one. She didn't even ask the driver if they'd seen anything? I don't blame you for being frustrated.

ljwf22,
Thanks for the camera idea! I didn't think of that. The bus driver was actually in the meeting and said she thought my son was one of those kids who "carries himself in that way" where kids tend to pick on them. ????

I will take that to mean we have raised him to be kind and have a good heart. He wouldn't pick on other kids with the meanies on the bus, so that put a bullseye on his back.

 

[Nova]

I thought the professor and his colleagues had been told to engage their students in discussion and prevention. It sounds like that is what he did - they were role-playing - a dry run of what you would actually do "if." The students were not offended. Maybe something was left out, but I think firing the guy is a bit much. I think he was probably trying to do what he was asked - I don't know. A reprimand in his file might have been better. I'll bet he sues to get his job back. Knee jerk reaction?

Indeed. From the article, it appears the College asked professors to discuss the event with students. Mass murder is not this professor's field; it seems to me that considerable leeway should have been given to him under the circumstances.