Seung-Hui Cho
 | This article may be affected by the following current event: Virginia Tech massacre. Information in this article may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Cho Seung-hui | |
|---|---|
| File:Ht vatech cho 070417 sp.jpg | |
| Status | Deceased (suicide) |
Template:Koreanname Template:Korean name Cho Seung-hui (January 18 1984[1] – April 16, 2007) was the shooter in the Virginia Tech massacre[2][3][4] of April 16, 2007, after which he committed suicide.
Biography
Cho Seung-hui was born in South Korea and emigrated to the United States (Detroit, Michigan) with his parents in September 1992.[5] According to Virginia Tech, Cho was an undergraduate student in his senior year as an English major. He was a South Korean national but a permanent legal resident of the United States,[6] and had a permanent address in Centreville, Virginia, an unincorporated community in western Fairfax County located within the Washington Metropolitan Area.[7]
A university spokesman described Cho as a "loner", and said university officials were having a hard time finding information about him.[8] A Korean club on campus reported that he refused to join or talk with them at all.[9]
Virginia Tech massacre
According to reports, Cho left a "disturbing note" criticizing "rich kids," "debauchery," and "deceitful charlatans" before killing two people in a dormitory room on April 16, 2007.[10] Two hours later, Cho crossed the campus to continue his rampage in a classroom building.[4] Police identified Cho by matching fingerprints on the guns used in the shootings with immigration materials.[4] The words "Ismail Ax" were found inscribed on his arm in red ink.[10] Officials have described finding a March 9, 2007, purchase receipt for a Glock 9mm [10] used in the assault[11] and note that permanent residents in Virginia may legally purchase firearms with proof of residency.[12]
Cho committed suicide in Norris Hall at some time during or after the rampage and before he could be apprehended by police.
Before the incident Cho had shown signs of violent, aberrant behavior, including setting a fire in a dorm room and allegedly stalking some women, and that he was taking medication for depression.[13]
There is some evidence within the blogosphere that his weapons were bought from roanokefirearms.com. Prior to the release of his identity, bloggers noted that a man under the name of "Cho" had bought the firearms from the website. The firearms are of the same models as those used in the massacre.
Notes
- ^ NPR
- ^ VT front page
- ^ John M. Broder. "Virginia Gunman Identified as a Student". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
- ^ a b c "Gunman Identified as Massacre at Virginia Tech Enters Second Day". ABC News. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
- ^ "Campus gunman lived in U.S. since 1992 - official". Reuters. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
- ^ http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/041807dnnatvatech.1a36bd32.html
- ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041700563.html?hpid=topnews
- ^ Gunman identified in Virginia Tech shootings
- ^ "범인은 '외톨이'" 조승희 누구인가, retrived from Chosun.com 07-04-17
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
Newsdaywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Gunman ID'd as student; tests tie same gun to both attacks". New York Newsday. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
- ^ "Shooter Identified as Cho Seung-Hui". ABC News. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
- ^ "Virginia Tech Police Still Search for Motive After Identifying Shooter".
External links
- Current events
- 1984 births
- 2007 deaths
- Deaths by firearm in the United States
- Korean immigrants to the United States
- People from Fairfax County, Virginia
- Spree shootings
- Spree killers
- School killings in the United States
- Murder-suicide
- South Korean murderers
- South Korean students
- Suicides by firearm
- People from Virginia