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

[Hopeful One]

Trey Perkins, a student from the German class, was on FOX this morning. They asked him that. He said that the gunman was reloading with clips. Just pop them out and back in....there was no time to get over the desks and rush him before he reloaded. Also, he had 2 guns....both not empty at the same time.

Thanks for the info. I'm sure it all happened SO fast, no one even had time to react. Ugh, this just breaks my heart.

 

[Taximom]

Geesh...possible copycat in Autin Texas coming across FOX news . School, university, on lockdown after "disturbing note" found. Please, no!

Rich&Famous....you didn't have to wait long.

I so hope it's nothing.

Isn't April 20th an anniversary for something horrible? I don't remember exactly what (Hitler?) but it had something to do with why the Columbine killers chose that date to kill. I thought all LE/schools were more alert around that time of year. It's coming up, and hopefully nothing happens.

 

[MrsMush99]

Isn't April 20th an anniversary for something horrible? I don't remember exactly what (Hitler?) but it had something to do with why the Columbine killers chose that date to kill. I thought all LE/schools were more alert around that time of year. It's coming up, and hopefully nothing happens.

April 20th, 8 year anniversary of Columbine. Also Hitler's Birthday. April 19th was Waco and Oklahoma Bombing.

 

[Taximom]

I told my husband last night that I was worried about my under-reaction to this tragedy as of last night. I thought maybe I had been de-sensitized and frankly, that scared me as normally I can be quite emotional.

Then they showed the first picture of victim Ryan Clark this morning; the triple-major about ready to graduate, and he had this huge, beautiful smile on his face.

It hit me and now I can't stop the tears when they talk about those students.

My prayers go out to their families and friends.

 

[Buzz Mills]

He signed his note Ismail Ax???--that's disturbing.

 

[Buzz Mills]

In the note, he apparently railed against debauchery, charlatans, rich kids, etc...

 

[LovingTheChaos]

I do not believe anyone can blame the victims of this (not that anyone here is blaming them, & asking if he could have been stopped is a legitimate question). I also asked where the hero's were at first. However, as more information comes out, it appears that this guy may have just been that skilled, unfortunately.

I believe that we have been lucky in some of the other incidents, when the shooter was not trained, or was not as smart , or was operating out of rage. With a trained gunman, ex-military, or someone who was intelligent, unemotional, & able to identify the "hero's" & kill them first, the death toll is not that surprising. One student said the killer walked into class, shot the professor first, in the head. This guy was not messing around. He had a plan. He shot each person an average of 3 times. He did not want to leave anyone wounded.

Of course, we probably won't know the whole story, because some of the potential heros are dead - MSNBC has a list of victims, one professor who is deceased used his body to block the door & saved some in his class. I think as this story begins to come out in the next few days, we will find there were hero's.

I would not be shocked if this guy had help. The more important question for me to ponder, is how was this man able to buy weapons at all? I am a gun owner, I own 2 handguns, & a rifle. I had to go through background checks, take a safety course, & give 3 character references in order to be able to purchase a gun in NY state. It took several months, & was not easy. Why was this person who was not even a US citizen able to purchase a gun? We need to really look at the gun laws in the US, I don't care if it pisses off the red states, this is ridiculous.

A.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

I told my husband last night that I was worried about my under-reaction to this tragedy as of last night. I thought maybe I had been de-sensitized and frankly, that scared me as normally I can be quite emotional.

Then they showed the first picture of victim Ryan Clark this morning; the triple-major about ready to graduate, and he had this huge, beautiful smile on his face.

It hit me and now I can't stop the tears when they talk about those students.

My prayers go out to their families and friends.

Straight-A student and twin brother, too
Huge loss.

 

[ketel0ne]

Geesh...possible copycat in Autin Texas coming across FOX news . School, university, on lockdown after "disturbing note" found. Please, no!

Rich&Famous....you didn't have to wait long.

I so hope it's nothing.

St. Edwards in Austin, Tx.
http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=6380941

 

[Buzz Mills]

Note left:

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The suspected gunman in the Virginia Tech shooting rampage, Cho Seung-Hui, was a troubled 23-year-old senior from South Korea who investigators believe left an invective-filled note in his dorm room, sources say.

The note included a rambling list of grievances, according to sources. They said Cho also died with the words "Ismail Ax" in red ink on the inside of one of his arms.

Cho had shown recent signs of violent, aberrant behavior, according to an investigative source, including setting a fire in a dorm room and allegedly stalking some women.

A note believed to have been written by Cho was found in his dorm room that railed against "rich kids," "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans" on campus.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...0,1137509.story?coll=chi-homepagepromo440-fea

 

[christine2448]

Note left:

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The suspected gunman in the Virginia Tech shooting rampage, Cho Seung-Hui, was a troubled 23-year-old senior from South Korea who investigators believe left an invective-filled note in his dorm room, sources say.

The note included a rambling list of grievances, according to sources. They said Cho also died with the words "Ismail Ax" in red ink on the inside of one of his arms.

Cho had shown recent signs of violent, aberrant behavior, according to an investigative source, including setting a fire in a dorm room and allegedly stalking some women.

A note believed to have been written by Cho was found in his dorm room that railed against "rich kids," "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans" on campus.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...0,1137509.story?coll=chi-homepagepromo440-fea

Thanks for the link Buzz...thanks everyone for posting/updating for all of us at work!

 

[nanandjim]

My husband said that last night, he said if there were 20+ in the room, why didn't some of the guys just attack him, ransack him, whatever.....we can never understand I guess because we weren't there.

These were young kids (many teenagers) with no real life experience. I feel certain that it all happened so fast that they were in a state of shock. I don't know if I would have attacked the guy. I think that I would have played dead if at all possible.

 

[Maral]

I do not believe anyone can blame the victims of this (not that anyone here is blaming them, & asking if he could have been stopped is a legitimate question). I also asked where the hero's were at first. However, as more information comes out, it appears that this guy may have just been that skilled, unfortunately.

I believe that we have been lucky in some of the other incidents, when the shooter was not trained, or was not as smart , or was operating out of rage. With a trained gunman, ex-military, or someone who was intelligent, unemotional, & able to identify the "hero's" & kill them first, the death toll is not that surprising. One student said the killer walked into class, shot the professor first, in the head. This guy was not messing around. He had a plan. He shot each person an average of 3 times. He did not want to leave anyone wounded.

Of course, we probably won't know the whole story, because some of the potential heros are dead - MSNBC has a list of victims, one professor who is deceased used his body to block the door & saved some in his class. I think as this story begins to come out in the next few days, we will find there were hero's.

I would not be shocked if this guy had help. The more important question for me to ponder, is how was this man able to buy weapons at all? I am a gun owner, I own 2 handguns, & a rifle. I had to go through background checks, take a safety course, & give 3 character references in order to be able to purchase a gun in NY state. It took several months, & was not easy. Why was this person who was not even a US citizen able to purchase a gun? We need to really look at the gun laws in the US, I don't care if it pisses off the red states, this is ridiculous.

A.

This is from the link that Buzz posted:

As a permanent legal resident of the United States, Cho was eligible to buy a handgun unless he had been convicted of any felony criminal charges, a federal immigration official said.

I agree, we really do need to look at the gun laws in the U.S. I've also heard that the gun laws in Virginia are some of the most lax in the country

 

[crymezero]

Just got mail, the second picture (which i have now removed) is not the guy, apparently... The newspaper where it was taken from has replaced it, sorry for the confusion.

 

[LovingTheChaos]

This is from the link that Buzz posted:

As a permanent legal resident of the United States, Cho was eligible to buy a handgun unless he had been convicted of any felony criminal charges, a federal immigration official said.

I agree, we really do need to look at the gun laws in the U.S.

Yes, I saw that after I posted, I guess that is what I get for assuming. Anyway, We do need to do something.

 

[cheko1]

These were young kids (many teenagers) with no real life experience. I feel certain that it all happened so fast that they were in a state of shock. I don't know if I would have attacked the guy. I think that I would have played dead if at all possible.

I just read the above article......
It states that the killer had recently shown abhorant behavior. Which included starting a fire in a dorm & also stalking women.

Why would a college allow some idiot like that to continue going to school. Starting a fire says to me he was pleading for help.....or do you'se think I am wrong? :furious:

 

[nanandjim]

Just got mail, the second picture (which i have now removed) is not the guy, apparently... The newspaper where it was taken from has replaced it, sorry for the confusion.

Yep, this is the same kid. No harm done. We all make honest mistakes. :blowkiss:

 

[Hopeful One]

I agree, we really do need to look at the gun laws in the U.S. I've also heard that the gun laws in Virginia are some of the most lax in the country

Even so, the guns could have been obtained illegally. It's like drugs - it's a rampant problem.

 

[cheko1]

Even so, the guns could have been obtained illegally. It's like drugs - it's a rampant problem.

Its actually very easy to get guns. I wonder if there are alot of gun shows in the area where he purchased it?

 

[ketel0ne]

Was Reema Samaha a dormmate of Emily Hilscher, I ask because Reema attended Westfields High School with Cho for 2 years in Centreville, Va.

Then Reeema went to VT and was a freshman. It is possible that Reema was the intended target in the early shooting and the latter shooting Cho found her in Norris Hall?