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=== International reaction ===
=== International reaction ===
There have been many official responses from various countries regarding the massacre, reflecting widespread public horror and concern, expressing shock, sympathy, and condolences to both the United States as a country and to the victims' families, as well as several political statements regarding the gun control debate.
There have been many official responses from various countries regarding the massacre, reflecting widespread public horror and concern, expressing shock, sympathy, and condolences to both the United States as a country and to the victims' families, as well as several political statements regarding the gun control debate. Of note is the South Korean response:


*{{AUS}} - Prime Minister [[John Howard]] has extended his sympathies to the victims' families while decrying what he described as a 'negative [[gun culture]]' in the United States.<ref>[http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Interview/2007/Interview24254.cfm Doorstop Interview - Lowood Show Hall - Lowood], Prime Minister of Australia Homepage, 2007-04-17.</ref>
*{{CAN}} - Deputy opposition leader [[Michael Ignatieff]] commented in the House of Commons: "Such a senseless act leaves Canadians stunned and horrified. We extend our sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives and to the students and staff of the university whose lives have been altered forever by this tragedy. We renew our commitment, wherever we are, to reduce gun violence in our homes, on our streets and on our campuses."<ref>[http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=2832972#SOB-2002248 "39th Parliament, 1st Session, Edited Hansard • Number 133"], April 16, 2007</ref> Also, [[Gérald Tremblay]], mayor of [[Montréal]], sent a letter of condolence to his counterpart in Blacksburg in the light of shootings that had happened in Montréal including [[École Polytechnique massacre|one]] at [[École Polytechnique de Montréal]] on December 5, 1989, and [[Dawson College shooting|most recently]] at [[Dawson College]] on September 13, 2006.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/04/17/qc-virginiatechmtlreax20070417.html "Dawson College students offer advice to Virginia survivors"], [[CBC News]].</ref>
*{{MEX}} - President [[Felipe Calderón]] sent a letter to President Bush with his most sincere condolences for the shooting at Virginia Tech.<ref>[http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/prensa/comunicados/?contenido=29811 "Mexico condemns Virginia shootings"]</ref>
*{{GER}} - Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her condolences to the individuals and their families.<ref>[http://www.bundeskanzlerin.de/nn_4894/Content/DE/Artikel/2007/04/2007-04-17-bkin-merkel-uebermittelt-bush-beileid.html]</ref>
*{{IND}} - Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma condemned the act, "It is shocking, a terrible tragedy" and offered whatever assistance is needed. <ref>[http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=466083]</ref>
*{{UK}} - On [[April 16]], Queen [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Elizabeth II]] was reported to be shocked and saddened at the shootings. The Queen and the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]] have a pre-planned two-day visit to Virginia on [[May 3]] and [[May 4]], [[2007]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6562105.stm "Queen 'shocked' at US shootings"], BBC News, April 16, 2007</ref> [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] spoke of the "terrible loss of innocent lives", saying, "I would like to express, on behalf of Britain and the British people, our profound sadness at what has happened and to send the American people, and most especially of course the families of the victims, our sympathy and our prayers."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6563513.stm "Blair's 'sadness' at US shootings"], BBC News, April 17, 2007</ref>
*{{EU}} - German Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], who currently holds the [[European Union]]'s rotating presidency, expressed her sympathy to US President George W. Bush and the American people in light of the shooting.<ref>[http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2444958,00.html Europe Offers Condolences for US University Shooting Victims], DW-World.de, April 17</ref> [[Kurt Beck]], head of Merkel's coalition partner said he had absorbed the news "with deep sadness" and added that greater gun control could "limit ... the level of armament" in US society.<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,477666,00.html World Leaders Express Sympathy, Call For Gun Control] Spiegel, April 17, 2007.</ref>
*{{JPN}} - On [[April 17]], the spokesman of the government, [[Yasuhisa Shiozaki]], expressed its sincerest condolences to the more than 30 people who died.<ref>[http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070417p2a00m0na013000c.html Virginia governor, in Japan, says it's too early to blame school in shooting rampage], Mainichi Daily News, April 17</ref>
*{{CHN}} - "China is shocked by the shootings in Virginia and expresses deep condolences to those who lost loved ones and those who were injured," Foreign Ministry spokesman [[Liu Jianchao]] said. Earlier Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister [[Li Zhaoxing]] sent a telegram to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, expressing shock and condolences as well.<ref>[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-04/17/content_5990447.htm Xinhua News Agency]</ref>
*{{KOR}} - President [[Roh Moo-hyun]] expressed his deepest condolences, saying, "I was so shocked and it was so unthinkable, and I would like to express, on behalf of South Korean people, our deep condolences to the families of the innocent victims and to those who were injured" right after the Virginia news. After the further news that the killer was identified as a South Korean student, he again expressed South Koreans' sincerest condolences on Tuesday night (Korean time) to the victims and to their families, and to all US citizens.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4722400.html |title=Korea fears prejudice with shooting link|publisher=[http://www.chron.com Chron.com]|date=[[April 17]], [[2007]]|accessdate=2007-04-17|language=English}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2007/04/17/2007041701058.html |title=총기 난사' 범인, 한국계 23세 조승희 (The killer is Cho Seung-hui, a South Korean)|publisher=[http://news.chosun.com Chosunilbo]|date=[[April 17]], [[2007]]|accessdate=2007-04-17|language=Korean}}</ref> The foreign Minister also mentioned that safety measures have been established for Koreans living in the US. He appeared to be referring to the possibility of reprisal attacks against Korean communities within the United States.<ref>[http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/270944/1/.html "Seoul expresses shock as gunman identified as Korean"], ChannelNewsAsia.com, April 18, 2007</ref>A ministry official also stated that he hoped the shooting would not "stir up racial prejudice or confrontation."<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OIGQMO0&show_article=1 "Korea Fears Prejudice With Shooting Link"], ''Associated Press'' via ''Breitbart.com'', April 17, 2007</ref>
*{{KOR}} - President [[Roh Moo-hyun]] expressed his deepest condolences, saying, "I was so shocked and it was so unthinkable, and I would like to express, on behalf of South Korean people, our deep condolences to the families of the innocent victims and to those who were injured" right after the Virginia news. After the further news that the killer was identified as a South Korean student, he again expressed South Koreans' sincerest condolences on Tuesday night (Korean time) to the victims and to their families, and to all US citizens.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4722400.html |title=Korea fears prejudice with shooting link|publisher=[http://www.chron.com Chron.com]|date=[[April 17]], [[2007]]|accessdate=2007-04-17|language=English}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2007/04/17/2007041701058.html |title=총기 난사' 범인, 한국계 23세 조승희 (The killer is Cho Seung-hui, a South Korean)|publisher=[http://news.chosun.com Chosunilbo]|date=[[April 17]], [[2007]]|accessdate=2007-04-17|language=Korean}}</ref> The foreign Minister also mentioned that safety measures have been established for Koreans living in the US. He appeared to be referring to the possibility of reprisal attacks against Korean communities within the United States.<ref>[http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/270944/1/.html "Seoul expresses shock as gunman identified as Korean"], ChannelNewsAsia.com, April 18, 2007</ref>A ministry official also stated that he hoped the shooting would not "stir up racial prejudice or confrontation."<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8OIGQMO0&show_article=1 "Korea Fears Prejudice With Shooting Link"], ''Associated Press'' via ''Breitbart.com'', April 17, 2007</ref>

*{{IRN}} - [[Mohammad Ali Hosseini]], the spokesman for the [[Iranian Foreign Ministry]], condemned the act and expressed his nation's deepest condolences with the US nation and the families of victims over the tragedy <ref>[http://web-srv.mfa.gov.ir/output/english/DOCUMENTS/FPDoc1.HTM "Iran condemns Virginia shooting"], Ministry of foreign affairs, [[Islamic Republic of Iran]], April 17, 2007</ref>


== Timeline ==
== Timeline ==

Revision as of 00:04, 18 April 2007

Virginia Tech massacre
File:Norris hall evacuation.jpg
Injured students being evacuated from Norris Hall, where 31 of the 33 killings occurred.
LocationBlacksburg, Virginia, United States
DateApril 16, 2007
7:15 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. (UTC-4)
TargetVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Attack type
School shooting, mass murder, murder-suicide, massacre, spree killer
Deaths33 (including the perpetrator)[1][2]
Injured29[2]
PerpetratorsCho Seung-hui
MotiveUnknown

The Virginia Tech massacre was a university campus shooting that took place on the morning of April 16, 2007 between approximately 7:15am and 9:45am in the United States. A total of 33 people, including the gunman, were shot and killed in two separate attacks on the campus of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia,[3] making it the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. At least two dozen other people were injured.

Cho Seung-hui, identified by authorities as the perpetrator, was a South Korean native who grew up in Virginia and a fourth-year English major at Virginia Tech. He committed suicide in Norris Hall, the second crime scene.[4][5]

West Ambler Johnston shootings

File:VATech map shootings.jpg
Aerial photo showing location of Norris and West Ambler Johnston Halls.

The first shooting occurred around 7:15 a.m. EDT in West Ambler Johnston Hall, a co-ed dormitory that houses 895 students. A woman, Emily J. Hilscher of the Woodville, Virginia, and a male resident assistant, Ryan C. "Stack" Clark of the Martinez, Georgia, were killed.[6][7] Authorities identified a "person of interest" in the first shooting, who is cooperating with them. According to the Washington Post, this "person of interest" was Hilscher's boyfriend and was released after cooperating.[8]

Norris Hall shootings

About two hours after the initial shootings, shots were reported in a classroom at Norris Hall, an engineering and science building that houses the Engineering Science and Mechanics program.[2][9] A ballistics test shows that the same gun was used in both campus shootings.[10]

An eyewitness told the student newspaper, the Collegiate Times, that a gunman shot about nineteen people attending a German class in Norris Hall including the professor.[11][12][13] Only four people emerged unscathed from the German class, with the rest either being killed or wounded. Erin Sheehan, one of the four, said the shooter "peeked in twice, earlier in the lesson, like he was looking for someone, somebody, before he started shooting."

Twenty-seven gunshots can be heard in video footage captured with a cell phone, later broadcast on many news outlets.[14]

Student Nikolas Macko described to BBC News his experience at the center of the shootings. He had been attending a math class and heard gunshots in the hallway. Three people in the classroom barricaded themselves inside the room using a table. At one point, Macko said, the shooter even attempted to break down the door of the classroom and then shot twice into the room; one shot hit a podium and the other went out the window. The shooter reloaded and shot into the door again but the bullet did not penetrate into the room. He stated there were "many, many shots" fired.[9]

In the week preceding the events there had been two bomb threats directed at Virginia Tech—the first at Torgersen Hall, the second at multiple engineering buildings.[2] The two threats were directly related to the shootings.[15] The university had offered a reward of over $5,000 for information on these threats.[16]

High winds prevented emergency medical services from using helicopters for the evacuations.[17] Victims injured in the event were treated at Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg, Carilion New River Valley Medical Center in Radford, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, and Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Salem.[18][19]

Cho Seung-hui

File:Cho Seung-hui 3.jpg
Cho Seung-hui
Main article: Cho Seung-hui

Background

The shooter was identified as a 23-year old Cho Seung-hui,[4] a South Korean national living in Virginia as a United States permanent resident. He arrived in the US with his family as an eight-year-old child in 1992. His permanent address is listed as Centreville, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C.[20] He attended and graduated from Westfield High School in Chantilly, Virginia, in 2003.[21][22] He was an undergraduate student in his senior year, majoring in English. A spokesman for Virginia Tech has described him as a "loner", stating that the school was having difficulty finding information about him.[23] Cho lived in Harper Hall.

Possible motives

As of April 17, 2007, Cho's motives for the killings remain unclear.

Some news sources initially reported that the killing spree may have stemmed from difficulties Cho was having with his girlfriend. The British newspaper Daily Mail reported that the shooter at the dormitory "was said to have quarreled in a dormitory with his girlfriend, whom he believed had been seeing another man. An RA was called but the shooter produced a gun and killed both his girlfriend and the RA;"[24] however, this information is contradicted by a report in the Washington Post, which seems to indicate that the assailant was not the girl's boyfriend.[8]

In a note left in his dorm room he laid out a list of grievances in which he railed against "rich kids", "debauchery", and "deceitful charlatans" on campus. Another sentence on the note read "you caused me to do this".[25] The words "Ismail Ax", possibly an alias, were found written on his arm in red ink.[26][27]

Carolyn Rude, chairwoman of Virginia Tech's English department, told the Associated Press that Lucinda Roy, a professor of Cho's, described him as "troubled". According to Rude, "there was some concern about him." Cho was referred to a counseling service but Rude did not know the outcome of that.[28]

The website The Smoking Gun has obtained a copy of a play by Cho titled "Richard McBeef." The short play explores graphic themes such as pedophilia, violence with chainsaws, and ends with the title character delivering "a fatal blow" to his thirteen year old stepson.[29] Cho also wrote a second play, entitled "Mr. Brownstone"; the play is named after a Guns N' Roses song and contains lyrics copied verbatim from the song.[30].

Preparation

Officials believe he used a 9 mm Glock 19 and a .22 caliber Walther P22 handgun.[31] Cho purchased the 9 mm Glock 19 at Roanoke Firearms[32] on March 13, 2007, and the .22 handgun possibly the weekend prior to the shooting.[33] The owner of Roanoke Firearms was devastated when he heard news that his weapons were used in the incident.[34] According to former FBI agent Brad Garrett, "This was no spur of the moment crime. He's been thinking about this for several months prior to the shooting."[33] He also used chains to lock the doors so no one could escape unless otherwise jumping out of windows or other means.

One of the guns was used in both incidents. An official added that Cho was "heavily armed and wearing a vest."[35][36][16][37] In Virginia, permanent legal residents of the United States who are 21 years of age or older are eligible to purchase handguns provided they have not been convicted of any felonies or have other disqualifications.[38]

List of victims of the Virginia Tech massacre

Main article: List of victims of the Virginia Tech massacre

This is a partial list and only includes victims who have been specifically named in the media.

First shooting: West Ambler Johnston Hall Dormitory

  1. Emily J. Hilscher, 19, a freshman from Woodville in Rappahannock County, Virginia.[39]. [40]
  2. Ryan Clark, 22, a senior from Martinez, Georgia (a suburb of Augusta), [40]

Second shooting: Norris Hall Engineering Building

Students

  1. Ross Abdallah Alameddine, 20, a sophomore from Saugus, Massachusetts, United States.[2]
  2. Brian Bluhm, a graduate student fom Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in Civil Engineering.[41][42]
  3. Caitlin Hammaren, 19, a sophomore from Westtown, New York, United States in International Studies and French.[43]
  4. Jeremy Herbstritt, 27, a graduate student from Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.[44]
  5. Rachael Elizabeth Hill, a freshman from Richmond, Virginia, United States.[45]
  6. Matthew La Porte, 22[46], a freshman from Dumont, New Jersey, United States in University Studies.[43][41]
  7. Jarrett Lane, a senior from Narrows, Virginia, United States in Civil Engineering.[43][41]
  8. Henry Lee, a freshman from Roanoke, Virginia, United States in Computer Engineering.[43][41]
  9. Daniel Patrick O'Neil, a graduate student from Lincoln, Rhode Island, United States[47] in Environmental Engineering.[48]
  10. Juan Ramon Ortiz, 26, a graduate student from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, in Civil Engineering.[43][41]
  11. Minal Panchal, 26, a graduate student Mumbai, India in Building Sciences[49]
  12. Daniel Pérez Cueva, 21, a student from Lima, Peru in International Relations.[50]
  13. Lauren McCain, 20, of Hampton, Virginia, United States in International Studies.[51]
  14. Erin Peterson, 18, a freshman from Centreville, Virginia.[52]
  15. Mary Karen Read, 19, a freshman from Annandale, Virginia, United States.[53]
  16. Reema Joseph Samaha, 18, a freshman from Centreville, Virginia, United States.[43][41]
  17. Leslie Sherman, 20, a sophomore from Springfield, Virginia, United States in History and International Studies.[43][41]
  18. Maxine Turner, a senior from Vienna, Virginia, United States in Chemical Engineering.[43]
  19. Austin Cloyd, a freshman from Charlotte, North Carolina, United States in International Studies and French.[43]
  20. Nicole White, a junior from Carrollton, Virginia, United States in International Studies and German.[43]

Faculty

  1. Christopher Jamie Bishop, 35, Instructor, Foreign Languages and Literatures (German).[41][54] (son of the author Michael Bishop)
  2. Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, Professor, Foreign Languages. A French instructor from Montréal, Quebec, Canada.[55]
  3. Kevin Granata, 45, Professor, Engineering Science & Mechanics.[39]
  4. Liviu Librescu, 76, Professor, Engineering Science & Mechanics, and Holocaust survivor. Killed while holding off the shooter so his students could escape out the window.[39][56][57]
  5. G. V. Loganathan, 51, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering. Born in India. [43][58]

Responses to the incidents

University response

Virginia Tech canceled classes for the rest of the week and closed Norris Hall for the remainder of the semester, and asked off-campus visitors not to come onto the campus.[1] The school is offering counseling assistance for students and faculty and has scheduled an assembly for Tuesday, April 17, 2007. Additionally, the Red Cross has dispatched several dozen crisis counselors to Blacksburg to help Virginia Tech students cope with the tragedy that their school has endured.[1]

Virginia Tech President Charles Steger stated at the first news conference that authorities initially believed the first shooting at the West Ambler Johnston dormitory was a domestic dispute and that the shooter had left campus.[59]

Steger indicated in a second press conference at around 5pm EST on the day of the attack that several thousand students were already on their way to class:

You have to remember that of the 26,000 [students] that we have, over 9,000 are on campus. When the classes start at 8:00 A.M., thousands of people are in transit. The question is, where do you keep them where it is most safe? We concluded that the incident at the dormitory was domestic in nature. These other events occurred two hours later.

Steger further noted:

It is very difficult, because we are an open society and an open campus. We have 26,000 people here. The best thing that we can do is to have people report anything that they saw that was suspicious. We obviously cannot have an armed guard in front of every classroom every day of the year. …What we try to determine is are they kept out of harm’s way by staying in the dorms or staying in the academic buildings. We send out communications by e-mail, we have an emergency alert system to get the word to our students as quickly as we can. With 11,000 people driving in to campus, it is extremely difficult if not impossible to get the word out instantaneously.

Lee Seung-wook, head of Virginia Tech's Korean student association, said "I am worried that the Americans will treat all Asian students, including Koreans, as criminals". [60]

Other schools' responses

Florida State University Vice President for Student Affairs Mary Coburn released an email on April 17th, stating that the university, in response to the Virginia Tech massacre, had instituted an emergency cellular phone contact plan via text message, in the event of a similar situation.[61] Florida State University president T. K. Wetherell issued a statement of condolence,[62] in which he outlined the university's disaster response plans in a similar situation.[63] Florida State University is a sister ACC institution of Virginia Tech.[61]

Ohio State University President Karen A. Holbrook released a statement that is linked to from the university's homepage. She asserts that "Ohio State stands ready to provide any assistance to Virginia Tech that they may identify in the days to come."[64]

Student response

Some Virginia Tech students questioned why the school had not been locked down after the first shooting.[65] After knowing about the incident, students communicated with their family and peers about their conditions, using telephones or social networking websites such as Facebook or MySpace.[16][66] Many students created Facebook memorial pages for some of their fellow colleagues.[67]

Law enforcement response

After the second attack, the Virginia Tech Police, along with the Blacksburg Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the Virginia State Police immediately responded following their active shooter protocols. Local SWAT teams were activated and responded.[68] In addition to the Virginia Tech campus police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has joined the investigation. Bureau spokesman Richard Kolko stated there was no immediate evidence to suggest a terrorist incident, but that the agency is exploring all avenues.[66] The Virginia State Police are also investigating.[66] The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) immediately responded to the incident with 10 agents on-scene identifying the weapons and performing forensics.[69]

Government response

Virginia's U.S. Senators John Warner and Jim Webb have both offered their condolences.[70] Virginia Governor Tim Kaine returned early from a trip to Tokyo, Japan[66] and declared a "state of emergency" in Virginia, allowing the governor to immediately deploy state personnel, equipment, and other resources to help out in the aftermath of a tragedy.[71]

On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims. The Senate also approved a resolution on Monday night extending condolences to the victims of the shooting.[72]Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy postponed by two days the scheduled April 17 testimony of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales concerning the firings of eight United States prosecutors.[73] In a statement, Gonzales said that the Justice Department would provide support and assistance to the local authorities and victims as long as they were needed.[74]

Immediately following the news of the tragedy, White House spokesman said President George W. Bush was horrified by the rampage and offered his prayers to the victims and the people of Virginia. In response to questioning, Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said, "The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed."[75] Bush also stated that the nation was "shocked and saddened" by the shooting but that Americans have the right to bear arms. He added that "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." He also pledged assistance to law enforcement and the local community.[76] President Bush and his wife Laura also attended the convocation at Virginia Tech on Tuesday.[77] Bush ordered the White House flag lowered to half staff and requested all flags be so lowered until sundown on Sunday, April 22.[77]

International reaction

There have been many official responses from various countries regarding the massacre, reflecting widespread public horror and concern, expressing shock, sympathy, and condolences to both the United States as a country and to the victims' families, as well as several political statements regarding the gun control debate. Of note is the South Korean response:

  •  South Korea - President Roh Moo-hyun expressed his deepest condolences, saying, "I was so shocked and it was so unthinkable, and I would like to express, on behalf of South Korean people, our deep condolences to the families of the innocent victims and to those who were injured" right after the Virginia news. After the further news that the killer was identified as a South Korean student, he again expressed South Koreans' sincerest condolences on Tuesday night (Korean time) to the victims and to their families, and to all US citizens.[78][79] The foreign Minister also mentioned that safety measures have been established for Koreans living in the US. He appeared to be referring to the possibility of reprisal attacks against Korean communities within the United States.[80]A ministry official also stated that he hoped the shooting would not "stir up racial prejudice or confrontation."[81]


Timeline

All times are in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4).

Tuesday, March 13

One of the guns used in the shooting, a 9 millimeter Glock 19 handgun, is purchased by Cho.[82][83]

Monday, April 2 and Friday, April 13

On April 2 a bomb threat to Torgersen Hall is called in anonymously. On April 13 a bomb threat to Torgersen, Durham, and Whittemore halls is also called in anonymously .[84] An additional bomb threat, this time to engineering school buildings, was found at the shooting scene at Norris Hall. [85] Virginia Tech police chief Wendell Flinchum has stated that the bomb threats are not linked to the April 16 massacre.[86] However a written bomb threat similar to the ones that were phoned in was found in Cho's dorm room. [15]

Monday, April 16

  • 7:15 a.m.: A 9-1-1 emergency call to Virginia Tech Police reports a shooting at West Ambler Johnston Hall, leaving one person dead and one injured.[87][88][89] The second person later died.
  • 7:30 a.m.: Investigators were following up on leads concerning a person of interest in relation to the double homicide. Investigators from VT PD and Blacksburg PD were actively following up on various leads. Meanwhile, Cho returns to his dorm room to re-load and leave a "disturbing note."[90]
  • 8:00 a.m.: Classes begin.
  • 8:25 a.m.: Virginia Tech leadership team meets to develop a plan on how to notify students of the homicide. Meanwhile, police stop the unidentified "person of interest" in a vehicle off-campus and detain him for questioning.
  • 9:00 a.m.: Virginia Tech leadership team is briefed on the latest events in the ongoing dormitory homicide investigation.
  • 9:05 a.m.: Cho seen in Norris Hall, an Engineering building. Cho chains the doors shut from the inside to prevent escape.
  • 9:15 a.m.: While the "person of interest" was being interrogated by investigators, shots are fired in Norris Hall.[91]
  • 9:26 a.m.: E-mails go out to campus staff, faculty, and students saying there has been a shooting on campus (in reference to the Dorm shooting).[8]
  • 9:45 a.m.: Students in the engineering building Norris Hall call police to report more shots have been fired.[92] Cho kills 30 more people before turning the gun on himself. Police have breached the barricaded doors, but the shooter is dead before police arrive.
  • 9:50 a.m.: A second e-mail announcing: "A gunman is loose on campus. Stay in buildings until further notice. Stay away from all windows" is sent to all Virginia Tech email addresses. Loudspeakers broadcast a similar message.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
  • 12:00 p.m.: At a press conference, authorities said there may have been more than 21 people killed and 28 injured.[93]
  • 12:42 p.m.: University President Charles Steger announces that police are releasing people from buildings and that counseling centers are being set up.
  • 4:01 p.m.: President Bush speaks from the White House regarding the shooting.[94]
  • 7:30 p.m.: A final confirmation that there have been 31 deaths at Norris Hall, including the shooter. (mp3)

Tuesday, April 17

  • 9:15 a.m.: Virginia Tech Police Department releases name of shooter as Cho Seung-Hui and confirms the death toll of 33.[1]
  • 9:30 a.m.: Virginia Tech announces that classes would be canceled "for the remainder of the week to allow students the time they need to grieve and seek assistance as needed."[1]
  • 2:00 p.m.: A convocation ceremony is held for the University community at the Cassell Coliseum. Speakers included (in order) Virginia Tech VP for Student Affairs Zenobia L. Hikes, Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine (who had returned from Japan), President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, as well as local religious leaders (representing the Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, and Christian communities), Provost Dr. Mark G. McNamee, Dean of Students Tom Brown, Counselor Dr. Christopher Flynn, and poet and Professor Nikki Giovanni.

Historical context

With a death toll of 33,[95] this is the deadliest single-perpetrator civilian shooting in United States history, surpassing the Luby's massacre of 1991 in which 24 people were killed.[95] Internationally, it is surpassed by the 1982 massacre of 57 South Koreans in Seoul by off-duty police officer Woo Bum-Kon and the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre in the Australian state of Tasmania where 35 people were killed by a single gunman.

The incident had been called as the deadliest school shooting incident in the United States, exceeding the 16 deaths[95] of the University of Texas shooting of 1966; and as the second deadliest school-related killing in US history, behind the 1927 Bath School disaster which claimed 45 lives through the use of explosives, including 38 school children.[95]

Issues

Gun control debate

Main article: Gun politics in the United States

In response to the shootings, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, an American gun control group, said that it was easy for an individual to get powerful weapons and called for "common-sense actions to prevent tragedies like this from continuing to occur".[96] The New York Times ran an editorial calling for more gun control.[97] On the other side of the issue, gun rights commentators contrasted the Virginia Tech massacre with the Appalachian School of Law shooting, which occurred in Virginia in 2002. In that case, a shooter was stopped after killing three people by two students using their personal firearms.[98]

The Washington Post described both sides of the gun control debate in an editorial, asking how and when the shooter obtained his weapons, but also asking if the tragedy would have occurred if Virginia law did not prohibit the carrying of lawfully concealed weapons on college campuses.[99]

Law enforcement officials have described finding a purchase receipt for at least one of the guns used in the assault[100] and note that permanent residents in Virginia may legally purchase firearms with proof of residency;[101] in addition, Federal law also requires a criminal background check for handgun purchases from licensed firearms dealers. Virginia has a one handgun per month policy, meaning that the shooter apparently waited one month after buying a Glock 19 before he could buy his second gun, a .22 caliber. [102]

Virginia Tech has a policy forbidding unauthorized possession or storage of firearms on campus, even by state licensed concealed weapons permit holders. This policy has been challenged in recent years. In April of 2005, a student licensed to carry a concealed weapon, who was carrying a firearm on campus, was told he could not. No criminal charges were filed and no details are available on the outcome in this case due to student confidentiality. University spokesman Larry Hincker, in response to challenges over the authority of the university to enforce such a policy, said "We think we have the right to adhere to and enforce that policy because, in the end, we think it's a common-sense policy for the protection of students, staff and faculty as well as guests and visitors"[103].

Virginia HB 1572, intended to prohibit public universities from making "rules or regulations limiting or abridging the ability of a student who possesses a valid concealed handgun permit ... from lawfully carrying a concealed handgun" was introduced into the Virginia House of Representatives by delegate Todd Gilbert. The university opposed the bill, which died in subcommittee in January of 2006. Spokesman Larry Hincker responded "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."[104]

Bradford B. Wiles, a graduate student at Virginia Tech, published an editorial in 2006 in the Roanoke Times calling for a change in Virginia Tech's policy.[105]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Virginia Tech official website". Virginia Tech official website. Retrieved 2007-04-16. Cite error: The named reference "Vtfront" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e "Gunman killed after deadly Virginia Tech rampage". CNN. Retrieved 2007-04-16.
  3. ^ Brendan Bush. "At least 32 dead in Virginia shooting rampage". Reuters. Retrieved 2007-04-16.
  4. ^ a b John M. Broder. "Virginia Gunman Identified as a Student". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
  5. ^ ABC News
  6. ^ 32 Shot Dead on Virginia Tech Campus By John M. Broder, The New York Times, April 17, 2007
  7. ^ First shooting victim name as Ryan Clark Daily Mail
  8. ^ a b c Pierre, Robert (April 16, 2007). "33 Dead in Virginia Tech Shootings, At Least 24 Injured". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-04-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b Deadly shooting at US university "US university shooting kills 33". BBC. Retrieved 2007-04-16. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help) Cite error: The named reference "BBC" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  10. ^ NPR
  11. ^ "German Teacher Killed at Virginia Massacre". Ajc. 2007-04-16. Retrieved 2007-04-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |Author= (help)
  12. ^ "Professor among victims of Virginia Tech Massacre". Los Angeles Times. 2007-04-16. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
  13. ^ "Students react to the tragedy". Collegiate Times. Retrieved 2007-04-16.
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  15. ^ a b THe Va.Tech Gunman: Well Prepared, 23, CNN.com, April 17,2007.
  16. ^ a b c "ABC News Massacre at Virginia Tech: 33 Confirmed Dead". ABC. Retrieved 2007-04-16. Cite error: The named reference "ABC" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
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  19. ^ "Rampage Strains Area Hospitals". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
  20. ^ "Campus gunman lived in US since 1992 - official".
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  23. ^ Va. Tech: Gunman Student From S. Korea
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  26. ^ Aamer Madhani. "Sources: College gunman left note", Chicago Tribune, April 17, 2007
  27. ^ 2.26 Taboo Items
  28. ^ Adam Geller. "Gunman's Writings Were Disturbing," Associated Press, April 17, 2007 (retrieved Apr. 17, 2007)
  29. ^ Virginia Killer's Violent Writings: Play told of pedophilic stepfather, murder of 13-year-old boy, The Smoking Gun, accessed April 17, 2007.
  30. ^ Cho Seung-Hui's Plays, AOL News, accessed April 17, 2007.
  31. ^ First Gun Bought March 13; No 'Spur of the Moment' Crime
  32. ^ "Source: Gunman angry at 'rich kids'". CNN.
  33. ^ a b "First Gun Bought March 13; No 'Spur of the Moment' Crime".
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  38. ^ Campus Gunman Lived in U.S. 14 Years
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  45. ^ Cite error: The named reference Richmond Victim Identified was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  46. ^ "Police: Virginia Tech shooter an English major, 23", CNN, April 17, 2007
  47. ^ "ALERT: Lincoln student among Virginia Tech victims", The Providence Journal, April 17, 2007
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  49. ^ "Virginia Tech's missing Indian student dead". Retrieved 2007-04-17.
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  61. ^ a b note registration required, Text from email: "In the wake of the tragedy that occurred at our sister ACC institution, Virginia Tech, FSU asks each student immediately to follow the web link below in order to record your mobile phone number. FSU will use this number only in extreme emergency to send text messages directly to you. Please help FSU be able to inform you immediately of circumstances where the safety of campus locations is in question.
  62. ^ FSU statement
  63. ^ "Though no campus community can be completely protected from such a crime, Florida State University constantly plans for just such events and has put into place seven proactive law enforcement programs to reinforce the safety of our university's students, faculty, staff and visitors."
  64. ^ "Statement by Karen A. Holbrook on the Tragedy at Virginia Tech"
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  67. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18158063/
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  71. ^ Governor declares state of emergency The Associated Press
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  73. ^ Gonzales hearing postponed, SFGate.com, April 16, 2007
  74. ^ Gonzales offers support, CBS News, April 16, 2007
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  79. ^ "총기 난사' 범인, 한국계 23세 조승희 (The killer is Cho Seung-hui, a South Korean)" (in Korean). Chosunilbo. April 17, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); External link in |publisher= (help)
  80. ^ "Seoul expresses shock as gunman identified as Korean", ChannelNewsAsia.com, April 18, 2007
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  91. ^ Photo from Collegiate Times
  92. ^ Timeline of Virginia Tech Shooting Spree WDBJ7
  93. ^ Virginia Tech Authorities Confirm 20 Fatalities, WDBJ, April 16 2007
  94. ^ "Bush 'horrified, concerned' by Virginia Tech massacre", Chicago Tribune, April 16, 2007.
  95. ^ a b c d This total includes the murderer, except for Columbine High School massacre, where it includes two murderers. In the University of Texas shooting, different sources claim 15, 16 or 17 victim deaths.
  96. ^ News Release: Nation Again Grieves Over A Tragedy Of Monumental Proportions, CNN, April 17.
  97. ^ Eight Years After Columbine, New York Times, April 17.
  98. ^ "Virginia Tech Shooting -- Gun Bans Are The Problem, Not The Solution" by Ed Isler, The Conservative Voice, April 16, 2007, accessed April 17, 2007. Also "Second Amendment: designed for Virginia Tech" by Bryan Fischer, Renew America, April 17, 2007, accessed April 17, 2007.
  99. ^ A Killer in Blacksburg, Washington Post, April 17.
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  102. ^ http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/04/first_gun_bough.html
  103. ^ Virginia Tech's ban on guns may draw legal fire
  104. ^ Gun bill gets shot down by panel
  105. ^ "Unarmed and vulnerable". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved 2007-04-17.

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