Update! More than 20 dead in Virginia Tech shootings

[Meriem_DZ 37]

News conference on CNN, states approximate 22 dead in Virginia tech shootings. This is just terrible.

My sympathies go out to all family members of the deceased.

Meriem

[Otto 83]

Chief: At least 20 dead in campus shootings

Story Highlights• NEW: Police chief says at least 20 people are dead, some of them students

• University reporting that a suspected shooter is in custody, another sought

• AP: 1 dead, 1 wounded in first reported shooting on Virginia Tech campus

• Student describes situation as "mayhem"; says 2 students jumped from window

(CNN) -- The Virginia Tech Police Chief said at least 20 people were killed in twin shootings on the Blacksburg campus Monday morning.

"Some victims were shot in a classroom," Chief Wendell Flinchum said, adding that the gunman was dead.

President Charles Steger called the shootings "a tragedy of monumental proportions."

A hospital spokeswoman told The Associated Press that 17 Virginia Tech students were being treated for gunshot wounds and other injuries. Sharon Honaker at the Carilion New River Valley Medical Center told CNN that four patients had been transported there, one in critical condition.

One person was killed and others were wounded at multiple locations inside a dormitory about 7:15 a.m., Flinchum said. Two hours later, another shooting at Norris Hall, an engineering building, resulted in multiple casualties, the university reported. (Watch police, ambulances hustle to the scene)

The first reported shooting occurred at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a co-ed dormitory that houses 895 students. The dormitory, one of the largest residence halls on the 2,600-acre campus, is located near the drill field and stadium.

Amie Steele, editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, said one of her reporters at the dormitory reported "mass chaos."

The reporter said there were "lots of students running around, going crazy, and the police officers were trying to settle everyone down and keep everything under control," according to Steele.

Kristyn Heiser said she was in class about 9:30 a.m. when she and her classmates saw about six gun-wielding police officers run by a window.

"We were like, 'What's going on?' Because this definitely is a quaint town where stuff doesn't really happen. It's pretty boring here," said Heiser during a phone interview as she sat on her classroom floor.

Student Matt Waldron said he did not hear the gunshots because he was listening to music, but he heard police sirens and saw officers hiding behind trees with their guns drawn.

"They told us to get out of there so we ran across the drill field as quick as we could," he said.

Waldron described the scene on campus as "mayhem." (Watch a student's recording of police responding to loud bangs)

"It was kind of scary," he said. "These two kids I guess had panicked and jumped out of the top story window and the one kid broke his ankle and the other girl was not in good shape just lying on the ground."

Madison Van Duyne said she and her classmates in a media writing class were on "lockdown" in their classrooms. They were huddled in the middle of the classroom, writing stories about the shootings and posting them online.

The university is updating its 26,000 students through e-mails, and an Internet webcam is broadcasting live pictures of the campus.

The shootings came three days after a bomb threat Friday forced the cancellation of classes in three buildings, WDBJ in Roanoke reported. Also, the 100,000-square-foot Torgersen Hall was evacuated April 2 after police received a written bomb threat, The Roanoke Times reported.

After the Monday shootings, students were instructed to stay indoors and away from windows, police at the university said.

"A gunman is loose on campus. Stay in buildings until further notice. Stay away from all windows," read a warning from the university.

"Virginia Tech has canceled all classes. Those on campus are asked to remain where they are, lock their doors and stay away from windows. Persons off campus are asked not to come to campus," a statement on the university Web site said.

Find this article at:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vtech.shooting/index.html

[Heracles 417]

Lets see what the deal is with this shooter..

I think I may to turn democrat as guns are disgracefully easy to access and carry around. I am all for allowing someone mentally stable and with no other criminal offenses to own a gun; with the condition that it is left at home and locked up, period! The only people who should be allowed to carry a gun anywhere else is law enforcement officers.

What a waste of lives.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I am all in favor of civilians owning firearms; however, I do think there needs to be stricter background checks and perhaps a psychological evaluation performed beforehand. Maybe a firearms safety course as well. Unfortunately, there are too many unstable people out there giving all the sane gunowners a bad name.

[Otto 83]

I am all in favor of civilians owning firearms; however, I do think there needs to be stricter background checks and perhaps a psychological evaluation performed beforehand. Maybe a firearms safety course as well. Unfortunately, there are too many unstable people out there giving all the sane gunowners a bad name.

Another reason to have better concealed-carry laws - these things never seem to happen in places where it's possible more people are 'carrying' than just the bad guys..

[ILIKEALLCAPS 0]

I am all in favor of civilians owning firearms; however, I do think there needs to be stricter background checks and perhaps a psychological evaluation performed beforehand. Maybe a firearms safety course as well. Unfortunately, there are too many unstable people out there giving all the sane gunowners a bad name.

It's not necessarily the "beforehand" that'd help. It'd cut down on the immediate (within a month or so) issues, but if they passed a screening 15 years ago, and then something triggers a psychotic episode, that initial screening didn't do any good. Renew your license every year, or 2 years....and get a screening then. Yep, a lot of red tape, but not anywhere near as much paperwork to fill out as for funeral arrangments or wrongful death litigation.

There also needs to be some responsibility here for gun owners. If someone 'borrows' or 'finds' or 'steals' your weapon....you should be subject to criminal negligence charges. You have a right to bear arms, you don't have the right to endanger others through your careless lack of control.

[devblt 0]

According to the time line below, there have been at least one School shooting almost every year since 1997. Shouldn't this be a wake up call to the powers that be?

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4371403.stm

April 2007: A gunman shoots dead at least 20 people at the campus of Virginia Tech university in Virginia.

October 2006: A 32-year-old gunman shoots dead at least five girls at an Amish school in Pennsylvania, before killing himself

September 2006: Gunman in Colorado shoots and fatally wounds a teenage schoolgirl, then kills himself; two days later a teenager kills the headteacher of a school in Cazenovia, Wisconsin

November 2005: Student in Tennessee shoots dead an assistant principal and wounds two other administrators

March 2005: Minnesota schoolboy kills nine, then shoots himself

May 2004: Four people injured in shooting at a school in Maryland

April 2003: Teenager shoots dead head-teacher at a Pennsylvania school, then kills himself

March 2001: Pupil opens fire at a school in California, killing two students

February 2000: Six-year-old girl shot dead by classmate in Michigan

November 1999: Thirteen-year-old girl shot dead by a classmate in New Mexico

May 1999: Student injures six pupils in shoot-out in Georgia

April 1999: Two teenagers shoot dead 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine School in Colorado

June 1998: Two adults hurt in shooting by teenage student at high school in Virginia

May 1998: Fifteen-year-old boy shoots himself in the head after taking a girl hostage

May 1998: Fifteen-year-old shoots dead two students in school cafeteria in Oregon

April 1998: Fourteen-year-old shoots dead a teacher and wounds two students in Pennsylvania

March 1998: Two boys, 11 and 13, kill four girls and a teacher in Arkansas

December 1997: Fourteen-year-old boy kills three students in Kentucky

October 1997: Sixteen-year-old boy stabs mother, then shoots dead two students at school in Mississippi, injuring several others

Edited April 16, 2007 by devblt

[Amby 490]

OMG this is horrible. I will be praying for all these families. I can't believe people could do such things.

[Nagishkaw 510]

That picture kinda gives me flashbacks of Kent State for some reason.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

al qaeda?

[Heracles 417]

Wow The report now is that 32 people are dead!

[Scott & Lai 12]

Lets see what the deal is with this shooter..

I think I may to turn democrat as guns are disgracefully easy to access and carry around. I am all for allowing someone mentally stable and with no other criminal offenses to own a gun; with the condition that it is left at home and locked up, period! The only people who should be allowed to carry a gun anywhere else is law enforcement officers.

What a waste of lives.

So, if someone is threatening my life and I'm not home, or I'm home but can't get to my gun because it is locked up (and therefore useless for self-defense), and the police are too far away, then that's just my tough luck, too bad for me??

[Heracles 417]

Lets see what the deal is with this shooter..

I think I may to turn democrat as guns are disgracefully easy to access and carry around. I am all for allowing someone mentally stable and with no other criminal offenses to own a gun; with the condition that it is left at home and locked up, period! The only people who should be allowed to carry a gun anywhere else is law enforcement officers.

What a waste of lives.

So, if someone is threatening my life and I'm not home, or I'm home but can't get to my gun because it is locked up (and therefore useless for self-defense), and the police are too far away, then that's just my tough luck, too bad for me??

When I say locked up at home I mean when kids are around or in the house.

I think most guns owners have a false sense of security by owning a gun. I own a gun myself. One of the first things I did after moving to the US. All I needed was a check and drivers license to buy it.. Can anyone sit here and seriously tell me that being able to buy a hand gun, with such ease, is not a freakin joke..

Edited April 16, 2007 by Infidel

[Scott & Lai 12]

According to the time line below, there have been at least one School shooting almost every year since 1997. Shouldn't this be a wake up call to the powers that be?

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4371403.stm

April 2007: A gunman shoots dead at least 20 people at the campus of Virginia Tech university in Virginia.

October 2006: A 32-year-old gunman shoots dead at least five girls at an Amish school in Pennsylvania, before killing himself

September 2006: Gunman in Colorado shoots and fatally wounds a teenage schoolgirl, then kills himself; two days later a teenager kills the headteacher of a school in Cazenovia, Wisconsin

November 2005: Student in Tennessee shoots dead an assistant principal and wounds two other administrators

March 2005: Minnesota schoolboy kills nine, then shoots himself

May 2004: Four people injured in shooting at a school in Maryland

April 2003: Teenager shoots dead head-teacher at a Pennsylvania school, then kills himself

March 2001: Pupil opens fire at a school in California, killing two students

February 2000: Six-year-old girl shot dead by classmate in Michigan

November 1999: Thirteen-year-old girl shot dead by a classmate in New Mexico

May 1999: Student injures six pupils in shoot-out in Georgia

April 1999: Two teenagers shoot dead 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine School in Colorado

June 1998: Two adults hurt in shooting by teenage student at high school in Virginia

May 1998: Fifteen-year-old boy shoots himself in the head after taking a girl hostage

May 1998: Fifteen-year-old shoots dead two students in school cafeteria in Oregon

April 1998: Fourteen-year-old shoots dead a teacher and wounds two students in Pennsylvania

March 1998: Two boys, 11 and 13, kill four girls and a teacher in Arkansas

December 1997: Fourteen-year-old boy kills three students in Kentucky

October 1997: Sixteen-year-old boy stabs mother, then shoots dead two students at school in Mississippi, injuring several others

Yes, perhaps it's time to allow teachers to carry concealed weapons, so they can stop massacres like this.

And while we're at it, street gangs should be treated as organized crime, and all gang members disarmed.

[Scott & Lai 12]

When I say locked up at home I mean when kids are around or in the house.

I think most guns owners have a false sense of security by owning a gun. I own a gun myself. One of the first things I did after moving to the US. All I needed was a check and drivers license to buy it.. Can anyone sit here and seriously tell me that being able to buy a hand gun, with such ease, is not a freakin joke..

You didn't have a background check and waiting period?