Gunman kills 21 on Virginia Tech campus

[Lucky13]

By SUE LINDSEY, Associated Press Writer
8 minutes ago



BLACKSBURG, Va. - A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing 21 people in the deadliest campus shooting rampage in U.S. history. The gunman was killed, bringing to death toll to 22, but it was unclear if he was shot by police or took his own life.

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," said Virginia Tech president Charles Steger. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."

The name of the gunman was not immediately released, and investigators offered no motive for the attack. It was not immediately known if the gunman was a student.

FBI spokesman Richard Kolko in Washington said there was no immediate evidence to suggest it was a terrorist attack, "but all avenues will be explored."

The bloodbath took place at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormitory that houses 895 people, and continuing about two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building, authorities said.

Police said they were still investigating the shooting at the dorm — and the campus was under lockdown, with students to stay indoors and away from the windows — when authorities got word of gunfire at the classroom building.

Some of the dead were students. One student was killed in the dorm, and the others were killed in the classroom, Virginia Tech Police Chief W.R. Flinchum.

Up until Monday, the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history was a rampage that took place in 1966 at the University of Texas at Austin, where Charles Whitman climbed the clock tower and opened fire with a rifle from the 28th-floor observation deck. He killed 16 people before he was shot to death by police. In the Columbine High bloodbath near Littleton, Colo., in 1999, two teenagers killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives.

The deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history was in Killen, Texas, in 1991, when George Hennard drove his pickup into a Luby's Cafeteria and shot 23 people to death, then himself.

Founded in 1872, Virginia Tech is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, about 160 miles west of Richmond. With more than 25,000 full-time students, it has the state's largest full-time student population. The school is best known for its engineering school and its powerhouse football team.

The rampage took place on a brisk spring day, with snow flurries swirling around the campus, which is is centered around the Drill Field, a grassy field where military cadets — who now represent a fraction of the student body — once practiced. The dorm and the classroom building are on opposites sides of the Drill Field.

A gasp could be heard at a campus news conference when the police chief said at least 20 people had been killed. Previously, only one person was thought to have been killed.

Investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began marking and recovering the large number of shell casings and will trace the weapon used, according to an ATF official who spoke on condition of anonymity because local authorities are leading the investigation.

A White House spokesman said President Bush was horrified by the rampage and offered his prayers to the victims and the people of Virginia.

"The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed," spokeswoman Dana Perino said

After the shootings, all entrances to the campus were closed, and classes were canceled through Tuesday. The university set up a meeting place for families to reunite with their children at the Inn at Virginia Tech. It also made counselors available and planned a convocation for Tuesday at the basketball arena.

After the shootings, students were told to stay inside away from the windows.

"There's just a lot of commotion. It's hard to tell exactly what's going on," said Jason Anthony Smith, 19, who lives in the dorm where shooting took place.

Aimee Kanode, a freshman from Martinsville, said the shooting happened on the fourth floor of West Ambler Johnston dormitory, one floor above her room. Kanode's resident assistant knocked on her door about 8 a.m. to notify students to stay put.

"They had us under lockdown," Kanode said. "They temporarily lifted the lockdown, the gunman shot again."

"We're all locked in our dorms surfing the Internet trying to figure out what's going on," Kanode said.

Madison Van Duyne, a student who was interviewed by telephone on CNN, said: "We are all in lockdown. Most of the students are sitting on the floors away from the windows just trying to be as safe as possible."

Police said there had been bomb threats on campus over the past two weeks by authorities but said they have not determined a link to the shootings.

It was second time in less than a year that the campus was closed because of a shooting.

Last August, the opening day of classes was canceled and the campus closed when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard off campus and fled to the Tech area. A sheriff's deputy involved in the manhunt was killed on a trail just off campus. The accused gunman, William Morva, faces capital murder charges.

___

Associated Press writer Matt Apuzzo in Washington contributed to this story.

[lesofprimus]

Jesus Christ...

[Matt308]

Here come the anti-gunners...

Hold on to your nuts.

[mkloby]

Originally Posted by Matt308

Here come the anti-gunners...

Hold on to your nuts.

Because criminals can't possibly procure a firearm through illicit means

[Screaming Eagle]

I was watching CNN again today, the death toll reached 33. Not a good thing.

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by mkloby

Because criminals can't possibly procure a firearm through illicit means

..these people are usually disaffected psycotic former students with a grudge...and of course gun control would make it a bit harder than being able to buy an assault rifle over the counter no questions asked..

..mind boggling ...elsewhere in the free world we just sit here and wonder at the stupidity of it all...

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

and of course gun control would make it a bit harder than being able to buy an assault rifle over the counter no questions asked....

WRONG!!!!!!

One thing Europeans (And other folks) don't understand is that most of the gun violence committed in the US is done so with illegally purchased or acquired guns. Assault rifles are not the choice weapon of a criminal in this country as many of them are are bulky and hard to conceal and many of them cannot be bought over the counter in this country as many of them are banned, some by individual states, another myth bought by then rest of the world when US gun laws are scrutinized.

The massacre committed yesterday was done with handguns. Whether this nut purchased these guns legally is another story.

BTW Virginia Tech had regulations about firearms on campus - Students and faculty members are forbidden to bring firearms in the dorms and in the classrooms - that regulation was a big help yesterday.

The highest gun crime rate in the US is in Washington DC, where the most restrictive gun laws in the nation are. The lowest is in Arizona, with the most permissive gun laws. A direct correlation, maybe, maybe not. In the 1800s most males went armed, and many females. There were still murders, some multiple. The abundance of, or lack of, armed individuals is not a deterrent to one obsessed with this type of action.

For several years screwdrivers have been used for violent attacks more often than knives. Should we restrict or outlaw them? What about base ball bats? There were murders long before firearms, it goes with our species.

My point is, no amount of laws would have prevented this. One that is intent on murder or any other crime is not deterred by laws. Laws are on the books to keep honest people honest and to punish after the fact. Hindsight is always 20/20. From what I have seen the police reacted with reason as did the University Administration. Some events just can not be altered or controlled. I am sure the lawyers will prey on the victims families and point to scapegoats other than the actual criminal.

[Matt308]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

..these people are usually disaffected psycotic former students with a grudge...and of course gun control would make it a bit harder than being able to buy an assault rifle over the counter no questions asked..

..mind boggling ...elsewhere in the free world we just sit here and wonder at the stupidity of it all...

No questions asked? You obviously are not familiar with US gun laws.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Especially since you can not legally buy any gun "over" the counter. I agree Matt someone needs to learn more about the laws before placing judgement.

[Matt308]

Same with the gunshow hysteria. As anyone will tell you that has ACTUALLY BEEN to a gunshow, the show sponsors require you to either be a member (have a prior background check), a current concealed carry permit, or they relagate you to LOOKING ONLY.

I wish these people would just come out and say it. They want to take away everyone's guns. It's not about a modicum of laws. They want them all. So be a man and put your agenda on the table.

[pbfoot]

I really don't know why the NRA types go hysterical every time there is a VT type thing with worry about gun laws . I've got more chance of being Paris Hiltons love toy then proper gun controls in the US
that problem is spilling over to my country and most firearms used in killings in Canada find there way over the border and most were purchased legally in the US but were stolen from the owners (poorly stored) or sold by the same to low lifes . Whomever had the gun stolen from them should be just as culpable as the user if you you knew who owned them

[Erich]

well here in southern Oregon visiting many many gun shows and watching the shifty eye'd kooks in the process....remember gents I live in the Platonic sphere, home of possibly the largest contingent of idiot survivalists on this very planet

as of late a guy off the street can eye-ball a wish and have his credit and background checked in a matter of minutes via computer up to Salem (capitol) and back again wheather to sell or nor. many guns shows for this very reason are opening up on Fridays instead of just the weekends

yes we still have round-ups and wagon trains and Indians doing the whoop ass

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by pbfoot

I really don't know why the NRA types go hysterical every time there is a VT type thing with worry about gun laws . I've got more chance of being Paris Hiltons love toy then proper gun controls in the US
that problem is spilling over to my country and most firearms used in killings in Canada find there way over the border and most were purchased legally in the US but were stolen from the owners (poorly stored) or sold by the same to low lifes . Whomever had the gun stolen from them should be just as culpable as the user if you you knew who owned them

If stolen guns are making there way into Canada from the US then there's a problem at the border. You know as well as I you could smuggle a pink elephant into Canada and no one will notice, especially at the falls or Fort Erie...

As far as owners being responsible for their guns being ripped off - do you have facts to back that up? I knew a gun store owner who had his fortified shop broken into - the thieves spent 2 days drilling a hole in a 2 foot concrete wall through a vacated shop next to his (they did this at night). All his guns were in safes and these thieves still managed to rip the guy off. No way should he be held responsible.

NRA folks go nuts after this because the first thing liberal US politicians and news people do is target ALL legal gun owners. If that fear wasn't raised law abiding gun owners in the US would of had their LEGAL firearms confiscated years ago...

BTW I'll repeat - the toughest gun laws in the US are in Washington DC which has the highest crime rate in the US. The most lenient gun laws are found in Arizona - lowest crime rate in the US.

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by Matt308

I wish these people would just come out and say it. They want to take away everyone's guns. It's not about a modicum of laws. They want them all. So be a man and put your agenda on the table.

.. well I don't think legislators in the US can just sit back and do nothing after this one can they ...guns are designed to kill people, whoever owns them ..freely available they will get into the wrong hands....no good then throwing up your hands in horror every time one of these periodic massacres occurs. We've sat and watched a procession of US commentators on the TV today and if I knew nothing about US guns laws before I do now. No questions asked..? got that wrong - in Virginia, its one question (criminal record) when purchasing a hand-gun..(well, two if you count age...)

yeah we understand that owning a gun in the US is part of that 'we don't need no government in our face, wild frontier' mentality, that the constitution enshrines this 'right' and that no-one could modify that very easily..

what opened my eyes today was the American on Sky who explained that he'd moved to Birmingham - the UK's third largest city, not a terribly nice place - to bring up his family in a less violent environment, to escape a culture of violence and gun crime in the US - of all the places he could have gone...

[pbfoot]

Then where do the illegal guns come from if not from a source that purchased them legally . Gun control will never occur in the states and for the NRA types to go into damage control is a waste of your dues money