• allaroundgirl said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I just saw this as well. Its so sad. I don't even know what to say.

• silverwhisper said on Apr 16, 2007....

  i heard about this a few hours ago. i'm still in stunned silence.
  
  ed

• Zayda said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I'm waiting now to hear about the fate of colleagues that I used to work with there as well as waiting for news about the children of friends and family from back home.

• Alyss said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I can't answer the why and am wondering that myself. My thoughts are with all those connected in some way.

• lioneljay said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Damn I hate to hear things like this. We are becoming such an angry society, and with awfully deadly means at our disposal for expressing that anger.

• secretlife said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I don't understand what was going on between the time the first 8 people were killed, and the two hours later where 22 more were killed across campus.

  why did it take 2 hours + to notify the students?

  this is what i'm waiting to hear.

• silverwhisper said on Apr 16, 2007....

  super z: please keep us posted.
  
  ed

• pascodelta said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I'm going to check out the news now.  That's terrible.

• MissMimi said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Oh Zee... no. That's awful. Hope the wait is short.

  The TV is saying it's the worst shooting incident in US history.

  I'm glad you posted this, CW.  Where in the name of God is it safe?  What kind of world are we leaving for our children and our grandchildren?

• dailyachesandpains said on Apr 16, 2007....

  CW, it's tragic.  I said in another post, I fear for our future. 
   
  I heard that this happened in possibly 3 different locations on campus total, but it was still early on when they were reporting that.
   
  I also heard that he (the murderer) was looking for his girlfriend and they're not sure if he killed himself, or if the cops got him. 
   
  They were also reporting that some students jumped out window's to avoid the gun shots.
   
  How do I move to England and become a citizen?  Norway?  Anywhere!  It always seems so much worse here, but I don't know if we just don't hear about things as much as we should in other countries. 
   
  I hope Zayda's colleague's are okay and all the friends and families that she has there.  I hope all the families find strength through this, some way. 
   
  Daily
   

• dailyachesandpains said on Apr 16, 2007....

  As of 4:45 PM
  Confirmed 31 deaths from Norris Hall (including gunman)
  2 Comfirmed dead from other location
  15 being treated at hospitals
  Do not know numbers of students and faculty
   
  No ID on gunman, he wasn't carrying any. 
   
  Notifying next of kin still.
   
  Anticipating a list of victims tomorrow.
   
  They do not know if the first and second shootings are related yet.
   
  Encouraging Parents and Students to contact each other.
   
  They are updating information on their website and the state website.
   
  Campus was not shut down after first shooting, they believed it was an isolated incident to that building.  The students were notified 2 hours after first shooting. 
   
  Call came in to 911 at 7:15AM
  Police interviewed students
   
  They believed shooter may have left campus and left the state after the first shooting. 
   
  Looking into the bomb threats to see if they had anything to do with this. 
   
  There was not a shoot out between officers and gunman.
   
  Finally, the gunman did take his own life.
   

• bloc said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Many of my childhood friends went to VA tech. I've been there numerous times and it's very hard to fathom this sort of thing happening there; it's a wonderful place.

• gingersoul said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Now they will say its another sign of this violent society......the usual blah blah that will not change the fact that 32 lives have been so violently erased. Poor families. Poor friends.   

  We were talking about colleges only few days ago.....and this one has been praised by many of us.........how weird..... 

• Zayda said on Apr 16, 2007....

  CW, Silver & Everyone: I've heard from the majority of the colleagues that I use to work with there. All that I have heard from are physically fine but they are deeply shocked and saddened by the incident.
  
  I am still waiting to hear about the children of friends as well as children of friends of the family. My parents are from a small town in Virginia where many of the students end up attending Virginia Tech.
  
  
  Bloc--It's very hard to fathom such a thing happening at Virginia Tech or on any college campus for that matter. But, college campuses are very open access areas. Anyone can walk onto a campus. They aren't like many public high schools. There aren't metal detectors in the doors of dorms or academic buildings. It wasn't too long ago, perhaps a month, that it was on the news that a graduate student was shot and killed at Washington State (I believe.) when her estranged boyfriend walked into her office and killed her.

• skald said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I am so sorry. This is awful news. This is all I can say. 

• silverwhisper said on Apr 16, 2007....

  thank you for the update, super z.
  
  [hug]
  
  ed

• mom said on Apr 16, 2007....

  This is really sad, and it shows that there isn't anywhere that is above any kind of violence.  One person was saying that it was due to the violent games that kids play.  A game they mentioned were, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, some other ones I can't remember the names.  Back before we had games like this, Dungeons and Dragons got blamed for kids commiting crimes.  I totally disagree with this.  If a kid is mental already, then yes I can see how it would influence him but so can tv, movies and other things.  Some kids sit in front of a game system and play for hours and that is all they do.  That is wrong too, I don't like the really violent ones because I don't like a lot of blood and gore. 
  It is really disturbing.
   
  Zayda- I am terribly sorry that you have emotional ties to that college and those there. *hugs*

• Zayda said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Reports coming out on various news sources say that the shooter was was a student who was targeting other male students because his girlfriend cheated on him.
  
  I don't know how much truth there is to that. Some of my students were talking about it. In my late afternoon class, I had three students who were waiting to hear from friends of theirs who are students at Virginia Tech. All of the friends they were waiting to hear from are Engineering students who would have been in classes in the Engineering building where the second shooting took place.
  
  Mom--I graduated from Virginia Tech in the early 90s. It was one of the schools I got one of my graduate degrees from.  So, I have close ties to many of the faculty there from when I was in school there and when I was teaching there.  Some of my colleagues from other universities I have taught at now work there as well.
  
  
  People are having a hard time getting through to family members and loved ones because the phone lines and cell phone circuits in that area are tied up due to the sheer volume of calls.
  
  
  I was able to hear about the majority of my colleagues because I am on a listserve related to one of the organizations in my field and got news through the listserve and email that they were okay.

• bloc said on Apr 16, 2007....

  @zayda
  I forgot that you were associated with that area and school. I'm from richmond so tons of people I know went their. You were there while many of my friends were. We may have mutual friends and acquaintances :)
  

• stealthysorrow said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I pray for all the students and parents of those killed....

• The_Ranting_Logician said on Apr 16, 2007....

  This event has been truely tradgic, even to people who are literally not connected to it at all. Personally...I don't want to know his "motives" because I don't feel that any "motive" could ever justify killing 31 innocents. I hope that whatever afterlife there is, this man is paying for his actions in it.

• Just4fun78 said on Apr 16, 2007....

  My prayers are with those affected by this tragedy. It

  is awful. There are so many stories out there right now..

  i don't know what's the truth. I heard 33 people dead,

  including the gunman, 2 at the dorm, 31 people in the

  classroom. There are 26 in the hospital, one in trauma, 6 in

  surgery. What has our world come to? I am with dailyaches,

  Norway, England anyone? It is time to make some changes

  in the US, it is becoming unbearable!

• bloc said on Apr 16, 2007....

  @just4fun
  I've often wondered why america has much higher violent crime rates than most of the industrialized world. I can't figure it out. Other countries have guns like we do (canada) others have the same cultural influences (video games, hollywood, etc) yet they don't have the same levels of violence.
  

• PeenkEyedDevil said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Zayda,  I m both glad to hear (so far) that none of yours were hurt and saddened by the news altogether.
   
  Living near by it is all over the news... so much that I had to turn it off so K. wouldnt see it.
   
  And I am following Dailyaches and Just4fun.. Finland anyone?
   
  Peenk E.

• silverwhisper said on Apr 16, 2007....

  can we all please hold off on the fingerpointing and the like until there's at least some more information and people can absorb the enormity of what's happened? just a thought.
  
  obviously, there are some questions, but i ask that we observe just a bit of patience for those, like zayda and bloc, who might be personally affected by this horrible turn of events.
  
  ed

• boyzmom said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I heard something about it at work today. It is very sad.

• bloc said on Apr 16, 2007....

  @sw
  fortunately, if you can call it that, all of my friends graduated years ago.
  

• agentPit said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Bloc, look the same but reality, has a few diff deep down.
  
  Canadians usually respect other people thinking regardless how diff in P.O.V.
  Most American  think they're smart ass and always right. Others have a pea brain.
  
  Canadians have sense of humour but keep sensitivity in line.
  Americans have sense of humor too as long as the one hurt isn't him or her.
  
  Canadians tolerate things toward life.
  Americans tolerate thing only he/she got the benefit.
  
  Canadians think innocent until proven guilty.
  Americans will accuse  u guilty until proven innocent, except u're  filthy rich.
  
  Canadians prefer suicide kill ownself to inflict personal agony pain & misfortunes...
  Amreicans prefer inflict own misfortune or pain onto someone else, t more t better.
  
  Canadians enjoy capitalism n adore freedom, with social responsibility intact.
  Americans love capitalism and embrace freedom, only apply to him/herself.
  
  Last but not least:
  Canadians have politicians set foundation for common good and humanity like Tom Douglas, Pierre Trudeau etc
  Americans 've politician set foundation for unified ideology n consolidation lifestyle
  like Ron Reagan, George Bush Sr and Jr. ( they throw Jimmy Carter out  on all excuse, and impeach Clinton on his personal affair while more than half of them committed extra marital affair themselves. )
  
  How hilarious, isn't it? ...American oh America,,,,
  
  
  
  
  

• missunderstood1162 said on Apr 16, 2007....

  this is just tragic.  breaks my heart.  

• rightwingwizard said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I've been listening & watching off and on all day.  My first thoughts were for Zayda because I know she teaches at the university level.  I'm sure there are others here as well who are involved in education. 
  Zayda: I had no idea you were in any way connected to WV Tech, I thought of you first although.  I am glad that those close to you are safe and well.  I pray that it remains so.
   
  I have many friends and relatives involved in education at various levels and every time something like this happens I worry about them even though I know they are not at the school involved.   I have no one at WV Tech, but my heart aches for those affected by this horrible event.
   

• Swizzle said on Apr 16, 2007....

  To all those personally effected, my thoughts go out to you.  To agentPit we as Canadians should not be so quick to slam our neighbours to the south. We too have had our share of tragedies (Wed. Sep. 13 2006, Montreal's Dawson College?).  Truly, Zayda and Bloc I hope the news you receive from your friends and family is nothing but positive.  This is a stunningly tragic event no matter where one resides.

• LadyGamer said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Insulting Americans and America is helping a lot. Let's do more of that.

  [/sarcasm]

   

  This is a tragedy. A horrible blend of dangerous tools and unhinged people.

  That could happen anywhere in the world. Are there not multiple countries where strapping huge amounts of explosives to your chest gets you into heaven? The more people you kill the better you are?

  The details may be different, but people killing people is happening all over the world. It's ALL ignorant and pointless. Sensless and tragic.

   

  My thoughts to those waiting news of loved ones and colleagues.

• CreativeWoman said on Apr 16, 2007....

  This evening I have heard that a terrorist connection is being investigated in addition to other leads, although it is not confirmed.
  
  On a side note...
  
  When I was in college, there was a shooting.  Two people involved, but no deaths.  It involved a standoff. Our campus and dormitory were locked down.  That was way back in the 80's. 
  
  CW
  
  
  

• botoni said on Apr 16, 2007....

  Canadian or not....American or not.....this is a tragedy. My sympathy and prayers for all.

• Zayda said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I received this information in an alumni listserve from Virginia Tech (please not the listserve is not sponsored by the University itself) at around 10 p.m. tonight. This is of course only information that is being passed around on the listserve and from some alumni to alumni in some places. I'm not 100% sure how accurate the information in the bulletin is:
  
  
  Authorities were investigating whether the gunman who killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history was a Chinese man who arrived in the United States last year on a student visa.
  
  
  The 24-year-old man arrived in San Francisco on United Airlines on Aug. 7 on a visa issued in Shanghai, the source said. Investigators have not linked him to any terrorist groups, the source said.
  
  
  Police believe three bomb threats on the campus last week may have been attempts by the man to test the campus’ security response, the source said.
  
  The exits to the buildings where the shootings occurred were chained by the shooter, the source said.
  
  
  Students complained that there were no public address announcements or other warnings on campus after the first burst of gunfire. They said the first word they received from the university was an e-mail more than two hours into the rampage — around the time the gunman struck again.
  
  
  Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said authorities believed the shooting at the dorm was a domestic dispute and mistakenly thought the gunman had fled the campus.
  
  
  ‘‘We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur,’’ he said.
  
  He defended the university’s handling of the tragedy: ‘‘We can only make decisions based on the information you had on the time. You don’t have hours to reflect on it.’’
  
  
  Steger said the university decided to rely on e-mail and other electronic means of notifying members of the university, but with 11,000 people driving onto campus first thing in the morning, it was difficult to get the word out to everyone.
  
  
  Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum would not say how many weapons the gunman carried. But a law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was incomplete, said that the gunman had two pistols and multiple clips of ammunition.
  

• KayRoseOrchid said on Apr 16, 2007....

  I have just now heard of this tragedy. This scares me because I am in college now and do not feel safe here as it is.
  As for the university sending an e-mail to everyone: nice effort, but they should have shut down the campus. They could have put up signs in parking lots and around campus telling students about the first shooting.
  I feel horrible for those lives that were taken. I am praying for everyone.
  

• TheBBGD said on Apr 17, 2007....

  This is a sad tragic day in U.S. history. Is this a symptom of a much larger ailment that we face?

• kingcobra said on Apr 17, 2007....

  CW......I believe I told you once that no matter where you are....when the Devine One decides it is time to go you go!!!
   
  It is sad....................life begins and ends.......don't know if I like that idea?

• redrocks said on Apr 17, 2007....

  another useless tragedy. I am so sorry for the guys that lost their lives in such a non-sense way!

• minniemouse said on Apr 17, 2007....

  Relying on E-mail to warn students is so useless.  I'm not condeming VT, because as it is now, I have no other ideas as to how they could have handeled letting students know.  They did the best they could with what they had.

  Its sad the state of things today.  It takes a tragedy to change the way we do things, only because we cannot fathom these horrors on our own in order to think of ways to circumvent them. 

  It might be a good idea for College campus' to put up electronic signs at various points on campus, kind of like what we have on major highways in the U.S. warning of traffic snarls and Amber alerts.  That might be an easier way to let students know. 

• freespirit4u said on Apr 17, 2007....

  The human condition never ceases to amaze, and dissappoint me. The Why? of this tragedy, of all the tragedies we bring upon ourselves and others will not soothe the anger, hurt, sadness,  and dispair that results from such actions.

  The older I become, the less I understand the species of mankind.....

  J.

   

• MsBradford07 said on Apr 17, 2007....

  Alot of people that were there had to use MySpace or Facebook to contact friends and family.

• mommyof2 said on Apr 17, 2007....

  This made me cry....kids are not even safe at school, this world is turning to shit!!

• lammy_1a said on Apr 17, 2007....

  This is a great tradey.and when thay said that thay had the person in custody,and showed him being handcuffed,and on the ground.and was taken away tobe questioned after the first shooting.when thay reported one dead and eight ingered, I would like to know why and how all this could happen.with one person,given the the disdance of the two halls.and the time,thay had this first person.  I think there were two of them.

• Zayda said on Apr 17, 2007....

  If any of you are interested there is a live feed for the Memorial Convocation being held at Virginia Tech available at www.hokiesports.com.

• MissMimi said on Apr 17, 2007....

  I have it on on the TV, Zee. You doing okay today with all this? {{{hug}}}

• momsrock said on Apr 17, 2007....

  I'm just shocked that it was Va Tech... I rarely even shut the door to my dorm room when I was there in the late 90's... it just isn't the place I would ever expect this to happen.
   
   

• silverwhisper said on Apr 18, 2007....

  MR, i didn't know you were a student there. my heart goes out to you.
  
  ed

• bloc said on Apr 18, 2007....

  mr, what years were you there? Wow, we have a lot of people on SC affiliated with VA tech in some way.

• LilStinker said on Apr 21, 2007....

  My heart breaks... I think we are all wondering why these things keep happening especially in our schools and with our young ones. I believe that our mental health system is lacking in a huge way and our laws are failing in this country... individuals that do things like this are sick and someone knew... someone had to know... but didn't say or do anything...

• taniatanfa said on Apr 21, 2007....

  I dont know what to say ... is it our faulta as a society his parents the school for giving that "person" so many opportunities that in my mind he did not deserve.  He killed so many people that had so much to give. How the hell did he buy a gun on the internet and another at a store if he had a pyschicatric record. Why dids the school send out emails to notify the students? Sorry that does not seem logical in an emergencyI dont sit at my computer all day every hour of the day. What happen to old fashion loud speakers or sirens?

   

  Why is the press exploting the pain of the poor  victims parents. Im gald they are not giving interveiws. Right now then need time to relct to be left alone.

   

  I wish that Bush would take Mexican President felipe Calideron's example and make it his own.  

   

  Because of what happened at Virginia tech the president of Mexico inittiatied a nation wide campaign and program in all government run schools  to promote psychiactric health in children and teenagers. It will be an integral program with the manditory participation of parents and faculty of each school it includes areas like exercise and societtal int4egration I was just in awe that he thought of that so fast.

  ads are already on Tv. I wish Bush would do somthing like that.

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