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The hockey game that occured between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders on April 16th at Nassau Colliseum began with a moment of silence in memory of the victims and the people affected. It is reported that there were some sort of derrogatory and "ignorant" remarks made by rowdy New York Islanders fans, who also later threw beer bottles onto the ice.{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2841205|title=Nationals show support by sporting Virginia Tech caps|date=[[2007-04-17]]|accessdate=2007-04-17|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
The hockey game that occured between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders on April 16th at Nassau Colliseum began with a moment of silence in memory of the victims and the people affected. It is reported that there were some sort of derrogatory and "ignorant" remarks made by rowdy New York Islanders fans, who also later threw beer bottles onto the ice.{{cite news|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2841205|title=Nationals show support by sporting Virginia Tech caps|date=[[2007-04-17]]|accessdate=2007-04-17|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>


=== International reaction ===
=== International response ===
⚫
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:
[[Image:Frontpage18april.jpg|thumb|[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] front page [[April 18]], [[2007]].]]
⚫
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.


⚫
*{{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>
*{{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}} - Prime Minister [[Stephen Harper]] commented in the House of Commons: "It’s really almost impossible to comprehend why an individual would take his own life and that of so many others in this way but I think we can all say that our thoughts are with all of the victims, their family and the community."<ref>[http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/story.html?id=c5897ca5-e0f6-4052-a796-59843be11431 "Harper expresses condolences to the families of the victims"], [[April 16]], [[2007]]</ref> Gérald Tremblay, mayor of Montréal, Canada, also sent a letter of condolence to his counterpart in Blacksburg in light of the shootings that had happened in Montréal including the [[École Polytechnique massacre]] in 1989, and the [[Dawson College shooting]] 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>
*{{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>
*{{EU}} - German Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]], who currently holds the [[European Union]]'s rotating presidency, expressed her sympathy to 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]], [[2007]]</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>
*{{FRA}} - President [[Jacques Chirac]] extended the sympathy of the French government in a statement from his office, expressing "his horror" and "total solidarity" with the victims.<ref>[http://info.france3.fr/monde/30054244-fr.php France 3]. [[April 17]], [[2007]].</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> Two Indians, a faculty member and a student, were killed in the incident. "The Embassy has learnt with great sorrow that apart from the Indian American Professor G V Loganathan, a first year student Minal Panchal is also among the victims," a senior official of the Embassy told PTI today.<ref>[http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/apr/18vtech.htm]</ref>
*{{IRN}} - On April 17, [[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>
*{{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]], [[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>
*{{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>
*{{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>


== Timeline ==
== Timeline ==

Revision as of 04:22, 18 April 2007

Virginia Tech massacre
Students gather to mourn at the convocation after the shooting
LocationBlacksburg, Virginia, United States
DateApril 16, 2007
7:15 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m. (EDT)
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[3]

The Virginia Tech massacre, or the Virginia Tech shootings, refers to the shootings that took place April 16, 2007 on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia, in the United States. A total of 33 people, including the lone gunman, were shot and killed in two separate attacks approximately two hours apart within two separate buildings on the Virginia Tech campus,[4] making it the deadliest mass shooting by a civilian in U.S. history. At least two dozen other people were injured.

Cho Seung-hui, identified by authorities as the gunman, was born in South Korea and grew up in Virginia. He had permanent residence status and was a fourth-year English major at Virginia Tech. At the conclusion of the second attack, he committed suicide.[5][6]

West Ambler Johnston shootings

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 young woman, Emily J. Hilscher of Woodville, Virginia, and a male resident assistant, Ryan C. Clark of Martinez, Georgia, were killed.[7][8] 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; he was released after cooperating with authorities.[9] Although the administrators of the school were notified, they thought the shootings in this hall were isolated and did not evacuate the campus.

Norris Hall shootings

Approximately 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][10] A ballistics test later showed that the same gun was used in both campus shootings.[11]

An eyewitness told a Collegiate Times reporter that a gunman shot about nineteen people attending a German class in Norris Hall including the professor.[12][13][14] Only four people emerged unscathed from the German class, with the rest either 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.[15]

File:Virginia massacre.jpg
Students take cover in adjoining Holden Hall during the shooting.

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.[10]

High winds prevented emergency medical services from using helicopters for the evacuations.[16] 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.[17]

Cho Seung-hui

Main article: Cho Seung-hui

Background

The shooter was identified as 23-year-old Cho Seung-hui,[5] 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.[18] He attended and, in 2003, graduated from Westfield High School in Chantilly, Virginia.[19][20] Victims Erin Peterson and Reema Samaha graduated from Westfield in 2006, but it is not known if Cho knew either of them.[21] 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.[22] 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....A Resident Assistant (RA) was called but the shooter produced a gun and killed both his girlfriend and the RA;"[23] 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.[9] When police entered Cho's dorm, they found a note describing how his life was hell and his plan of suicide. His roommate told reporters that Cho had a normal expression on his face just two hours before the killing spree.

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".[24] The words "Ismail Ax" were found written on his arm in red ink.[25]

Lucinda Roy, Cho's creative writing professor, says she was disturbed by the student's behavior and writing to the point of warning campus police and other officials about him, but was told they could not do much as no direct threat was involved and could not violate his rights of free speech.[26] Roy told ABC News that Cho seemed "extraordinarily lonely—the loneliest person I have ever met in my life." She said he always wore sunglasses and a cap inside, spoke in a whisper, and took cell phone pictures of her. Deeply concerned, she arranged to work one-on-one with Cho, and asked him to go to counseling, but he apparently never went.[27]

The website The Smoking Gun has obtained a copy of a play by Cho titled "Richard McBeef." The short play mentions graphic topics such as pedophilia, violence with chainsaws, and ends with the title character delivering "a deadly blow" to his thirteen year old stepson.[28] 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.[29]

An unnamed professor who taught Cho characterized his work as "very adolescent" and "silly," with attempts at "slapstick comedy" and "elements of violence."[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-caliber handgun was purchased February 9 at a pawnshop in Blacksburg.[33] Both guns were found with their serial numbers filed off, federal law enforcement officials said. The owner of Roanoke Firearms was devastated when he heard news that one of 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."[35] It is not known what, if any, previous firearm experience or training Cho had completed before the massacre.

One of the guns was used in both incidents. An official added that Cho was "heavily armed and wearing a vest."[36][37][38][39] 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.[40]

Victims

Further information: [[: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

  • Emily J. Hilscher[41]



Second shooting: Norris Hall Engineering Building

Students



Faculty

Responses to the incidents

University response

Virginia Tech cancelled 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 held an assembly on 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.[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.[61]

Steger indicated in a second press conference at around 5pm EDT 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".[62]

Virginia Tech students mourn their fallen friends at a candlelight vigil.


Other schools' responses

There have been official responses from many universities, both inside of the United States and abroad, regarding the massacre, reflecting widespread public horror and concern, expressing shock, sympathy, and condolences to the Virginia Tech community.[63][64]

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.[65] Florida State University president T. K. Wetherell issued a statement of condolence,[66] in which he outlined the university's disaster response plans in a similar situation.[67] Florida State University is a sister ACC institution of Virginia Tech.[65] The Ohio State University President Karen A. Holbrook released a statement that is linked 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."[68]

The University of Virginia has offered psychological support services and medical assistance to the victims and afflicted at Virginia Tech[69][70] Radford University is providing free temporary housing for the Virginia State Police officers investigating the incident.[71]

In response to the death of Wake Forest University faculty member Kevin Granata and the injury of faculty director Wally Grant at Virginia Tech in the joint Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences,[72] Wake Forest has offered physical assistance, and has sent grief counselors including Professor Samuel Gladding, chairman of WFU's counseling department.[73] Clemson University, a sister ACC land grant school, to Virginia Tech, released a statement stating that they were offering grief counseling from their counseling center to Virginia Tech, as well as other offers of assistance.[74] Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech's sister polytechnical institution, released a statement from president Wayne Clough, a prior Virginia Tech faculty dean. The statement noted that Clough once was Dean of Engineering at Virginia Tech and held an office in Norris hall; he offered any requested assistance to Virginia Tech president Steger.[75]

Student response

Some Virginia Tech students questioned why the school had not been locked down after the first shooting.[76] 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.[38][77] Many students created Facebook memorial pages for some of their fellow colleagues.[78] Fearing retribution from American students, Kim Min-kyung, a South Korean student at Virginia Tech, said South Korean students were gathering in groups "as it could be dangerous."[79]

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.[80] 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.[77] The Virginia State Police are also investigating.[77] 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.[81]

Government response

President George W. Bush greets a Virginia Tech student following his speech at the school's convocation.

Virginia's U.S. Senators John Warner and Jim Webb have both offered their condolences.[82] Virginia Governor Tim Kaine returned early from a trip to Tokyo, Japan[77] 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.[83]

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.[84]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.[85] 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.[86]

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."[87][88] 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.[89] President Bush and his wife Laura also attended the convocation at Virginia Tech on Tuesday.[90] Bush ordered the White House flag lowered to half staff and requested all flags be so lowered until sundown on Sunday, April 22.[90]

Sporting tributes

The Washington Nationals, during their April 17 game against the Atlanta Braves, wore Virginia Tech baseball caps in memory of the victims.[91]

International response

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.[92][93] 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.[94]A ministry official also stated that he hoped the shooting would not "stir up racial prejudice or confrontation."[95]

Timeline

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

Friday, February 9

Cho purchases a Walther P22 at a pawnshop in Blacksburg.[96]

Tuesday, March 13

Cho purchases a 9 millimeter Glock 19 handgun[97][98] from Roanoke Firearms[99]

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.[100] An additional bomb threat, this time to engineering school buildings, was found at the shooting scene at Norris Hall.[101] Virginia Tech police chief Wendell Flinchum has stated that the bomb threats are not linked to the April 16 massacre.[102] However a written bomb threat similar to the ones that were phoned in was found in Cho's dorm room.[103]

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.[104][105][106] 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 leaves a "disturbing note."[107]
  • 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.[108]
  • 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).[9]
  • 9:45 a.m.: Students in the engineering building Norris Hall call police to report more shots have been fired.[109] 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.[109]
  • 10:17 a.m: A third e-mail cancels classes and advises people to stay where they are.[110]
  • 10:52 a.m.: A fourth e-mail warns of a multiple shooting with multiple victims in Norris Hall, saying the shooter has been arrested and that police are hunting for a possible second shooter. The entrances to the campus buildings are locked.[111]
  • 12:00 p.m.: At a press conference, authorities said there may have been more than 21 people killed and 28 injured.[112]
  • 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.[113]
  • 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. One person seated behind the President and First Lady apparently fainted during a moment of silence, causing medical personnel to assist them out of the coliseum. The ceremony was concluded by all in attendance chanting "We are Hokies!" and "Let's go Hokies!"
  • 8:00 p.m.: A candlelight vigil is held on the University Drillfield[114]

Friday, April 20

  • All Day: "Hokie Hope" will be an alumni-led declaration of a national "Orange and Maroon Effect" day.[1]

Historical context

With a death toll of 33,[115] 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.[115] Internationally, it is surpassed by the 1982 massacre of 57 South Koreans 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 is the deadliest school shooting incident in the United States, exceeding the 16 deaths[115] of the University of Texas shooting of 1966; and is the second deadliest school-related killing in U.S. history, behind the 1927 Bath School disaster which claimed 45 lives through the use of explosives, including 38 school children.[115]

Gun control debate

Main article: Gun politics in the United States

The massacre reignited the debate over gun control in the United States, and what affect, if any, that gun control did or would have had to the events that happened.

Background

Law enforcement officials have described finding a purchase receipt for at least one of the guns used in the assault[116] and note that permanent residents in Virginia may legally purchase firearms with proof of residency;[117] 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.[118]

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 by the Commonwealth of Virginia to carry concealed weapons was discovered possessing a concealed firearm in class. While no criminal charges were filed, it is unknown what disciplinary action was taken by the school for violating Tech policy 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."[119]

Virginia bill 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."[120]

Prior to the shootings, 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 prohibiting the carrying of licensed firearms.[121]

Media response

The response to how gun control affected the massacre was predominantly split - while some believe the university's ban on students carrying concealed weapons contributed to the massacre as students were unable to defend themselves against the perpetrator, others believe that Virginia's relatively lax gun control laws allowed the gunman to purchase the guns and ammo that allowed the shootings to happen.

Regardless of the state laws, all guns sales in the US are regulated by the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 and a background check has been required since 1994 when buying a gun in the US. It appears that all state and federal laws were follwed when Cho Seung-hui bought his two guns. The issue of "lax" state laws is questionable as well. There are many states in the US with fewer regulations than Virginia. Virginia is one of only four states (South Carolina, Maryland, and California being the other three.) with a one handgun per month policy.

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".[122] The New York Times ran an editorial calling for more gun control: "Yesterday’s mass shooting at Virginia Tech—the worst in American history—is another horrifying reminder that some of the gravest dangers Americans face come from killers at home armed with guns that are frighteningly easy to obtain."[123] On the other side of the issue, the Conservative Voice contrasted the Virginia Tech massacre with the Appalachian School of Law shooting, which occurred in Virginia in 2002, and declared, "All the school shootings that have ended abruptly in the last ten years were stopped because a law-abiding citizen—a potential victim—had a gun."[124]

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.[125]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Virginia Tech massacre.

References

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  4. ^ Brendan Bush. "At least 32 dead in Virginia shooting rampage". Reuters. Retrieved 2007-04-16.
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  114. ^ a b c d These totals includes the murderer or murderers. In the University of Texas shooting, different sources claim 15, 16 or 17 victim deaths. In the Bath disaster, 44 were killed by the bombs, with the killer's wife beaten to death earlier.
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  119. ^ Gun bill gets shot down by panel
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External links

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