Mass Shooting at Va Tech. 33 Dead, 15 Injured [reportedly]

[George Foster]

Originally Posted by Cedric

This is totally new. Nobody has ever done a domestic killing and then waited two hours to mass kill people on the other side of campus.

Blame is the immediate response and it's something CNN and FOXNews are blabbing about. It's a very unique situation and something nobody can plan for.

I totally agree. It's no ones fault but the killers. That is a huge campus. If someone in Lexington killed someone real close to campus at 7am...you don't lock down the campus. If someone kills a person or persons just on campus at 7am you don't lock down the campus. On north campus at UK there is a McDonalds 200 feet from a dorm. The dorm is on campus and the McDonalds is not. If someone was shot at the McDonalds no one on campus would even know about it until your watched the evening news. The cops thought, and rightfully so this was a domistic killing. It was over, the killer was on the run, not planning to wait 2 hours and then kill and injure another 50 people.

Everybody was in transit to campus at 7am, including 10,000 employees. I say it was safer to let them get to work or class and then lock it down rather to allow them to park, walk to class or work, then have them walk back to their car or dorm.

It's a horrible situation. It's not the administrations fault.

[paintmered]

Originally Posted by George Foster

It's a horrible situation. It's not the administrations fault.

Of course it isn't the administration's fault. But I get the sickening feeling that they will be blamed for these events in civil court. And it will happen sooner than we all think.

I'm willing to bet the litigation cases are already being prepared.

[halcyon]

I've talked with my friend on and off today. He is in a graduating senior class of ChemE's with about 28 other students. They all know each other fairly well. One of his classmates happened to be in the German class that has made so many headlines. He found out tonite that she was not one of the four students who escaped with their lives. I can't even begin to take this all in. How awful.

[harangatang]

Originally Posted by halcyon

I've talked with my friend on and off today. He is in a graduating senior class of ChemE's with about 28 other students. They all know each other fairly well. One of his classmates happened to be in the German class that has made so many headlines. He found out tonite that she was not one of the four students who escaped with their lives. I can't even begin to take this all in. How awful.

That's horrible, for all people involved. As a college student to think that could be me or someone I know or love is scary. It really makes you think about life and the uncertainties that surround it. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved directly or indirectly. I'm sure they'll be alot of nervous college students going to class all across the country tomorrow (well today now I guess).

[harangatang]

Originally Posted by paintmered

Of course it isn't the administration's fault. But I get the sickening feeling that they will be blamed for these events in civil court. And it will happen sooner than we all think.

I'm willing to bet the litigation cases are already being prepared.

Exactly right. If people really cared about fixing the problem they would try to find a reason that someone would do such a thing. And then not stop there but find a way to predict such possible behavior. Instead people will point fingers at the most convienant excuse they can find and never think beyond it.

[Ravenlord]

Originally Posted by harangatang

Exactly right. If people really cared about fixing the problem they would try to find a reason that someone would do such a thing. And then not stop there but find a way to predict such possible behavior. Instead people will point fingers at the most convienant excuse they can find and never think beyond it.

like Columbine being heavily blamed on Marylin Manson despite both boys hating his music.

[WMR]

What makes me most sick about all this is how this killer, this COWARD, took his own life. At least the prosecution of a killer gives families some small measure of closure, no matter how little satisfaction it may be when compared to the inconsolable pain caused by the loss of their loved one.

Will these families ever get their questions answered as to why this happened? Clearly, they'll never get the chance to confront this sick monster and express their grief and rage, and that really pisses me off.

Just so incredibly sad.

[RadfordVA]

As you might know from my username I live in the neighboring city. It is pretty crazy when the place you live is the news capital of the world all of a sudden. I manage a hotel in blacksburg and every news station has at least one crew here. I personally dont understand this monster that is the 24 hour news phenomenon. How many times can you watch the same stuff over and over. I feel like im giving the people that do these things exactly what they want(attention) so I try to avoid as much of it as possible. Seems like it gives anyone that wants their 15 minutes of fame the incentive to do something like this. To hear these news crews talk is weird because it isnt a tragedy to them its just another assignment. They all know each other because I suppose they just travel from tragedy to tragedy. Oh well people must be watching so I guess it will continue.

[LoganBuck]

The talking heads that are demanding to know why they didn't shut down the campus after the first shooting, must have gone to a very small school. At massive schools like Virginia Tech or Ohio State. You are dealing with a self contained city. Shutting down a small city is not practical if you believe a domestic tragedy has occurred.

Others wondering how he got so much fire power. Two Glock 9s with magazines + amo, can fit in your coat pockets easily. You don't need an AK-47, to create mass murder.

Such a tragedy....

[RFS62]

A lot of incredible stories coming out of the VT shootings.

CNN just had a former Israeli Terrorism expert criticizing the police for not rushing into the building as the shots were being fired. He was analyzing the cell phone camera shot that has been playing over and over.

What the hell do we expect of police? Rapid fire automatic weapon fire going off, no knowledge if it's one person or ten, and this guy thinks they should have reacted with the skill and efficiency of Jack Bauer.

And now the lawsuits will probably begin.

[Cedric]

Originally Posted by RadfordVA

As you might know from my username I live in the neighboring city. It is pretty crazy when the place you live is the news capital of the world all of a sudden. I manage a hotel in blacksburg and every news station has at least one crew here. I personally dont understand this monster that is the 24 hour news phenomenon. How many times can you watch the same stuff over and over. I feel like im giving the people that do these things exactly what they want(attention) so I try to avoid as much of it as possible. Seems like it gives anyone that wants their 15 minutes of fame the incentive to do something like this. To hear these news crews talk is weird because it isnt a tragedy to them its just another assignment. They all know each other because I suppose they just travel from tragedy to tragedy. Oh well people must be watching so I guess it will continue.

The media blitz on all things is just scary. I'm certainly not getting used to it. It get's absolutely worse every year.

[Joseph]

Originally Posted by Ravenlord

like Columbine being heavily blamed on Marylin Manson despite both boys hating his music.

Let's not forget the myth that those boys were outsiders and not like their classmates and were bullied. These two boys were just like most of the other kids in their class, only in their insane act did people try to create a way to be different than them and separate themselves.

On the Virginia Tech situation, they have canceled all classes for the rest of the week.

[Unassisted]

Originally Posted by RadfordVA

To hear these news crews talk is weird because it isnt a tragedy to them its just another assignment. They all know each other because I suppose they just travel from tragedy to tragedy. Oh well people must be watching so I guess it will continue.

This is nothing new. I used to work in TV news almost 20 years ago and there was always a lot of gallows humor and focus on the news product rather than the story. "If it bleeds, it leads" (the newscast) was true back then, too. The people behind the camera tend to view things with a great deal of detachment. Considering the number of heartbreaking aftermaths that news people witness from up close, they need to have a fairly hard shell to cope.

[TeamMorris]

There is a press conference on right now about it. Very sad!!!

[Reds Fanatic]

The same gun was used in both shootings. They have identified the shooter. It was a 23 year Korean student Cho Seung-Hui who was a senior in the English department.