Shooting at Virginia Tech — Page 2

Couple of folks from the Yankee forum reported in from Va Tech.
People were jumping out of windows, breaking limbs to get away.

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this is so scary...my best friends brother goes there...and a bunch of my friends.

I was driving through there last august when the other shooting happened...we weren't even allowed to get off the highway at that exit...i was going to see my best friends brother, but i couldn't...this is too awful.

imagine...columbine was so bad, and that was 13 dead. this is more than 2x that. awulf.

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woa the number is rising... It's so interesting we spend all this money on fighting "terrorism" and fighting them "over there" so they wont "follow us home." So people, here it is, another terrorist act on US soil under the watchful eye of the Bush administration.

I am absolutely disgusted.

At least 32 dead, almost all students, but including one faculty member and the gunman, whose identity has not been released.

So sad. So senseless. So many futures lost.

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Watching CNN, there's a student Jason Piatt on the line who said there were bomb threats last week? He also said that while the first shooting happened in the 7 o'clock hour, an email advising students of the situation wasn't sent out until 9:26am, and there were morning classes still?

Also, bless that kid who stayed and recorded on his mobile.

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There were two bomb threats within the last few weeks, one of them last week. In both cases, the university closed the specified buildings and bomb teams searched them. They weren't re-opened until they had been cleared, and a $5000 reward was put out for information regarding the threats. I don't really understand why classes weren't canceled this morning after the shooting in AJ...I'm sure that will be looked at more closely.

No students were shot in the incident in August, but an escaped convict was at large along a trail on the outskirts of campus. There was speculation that he would try to blend in on campus, but he was apprehended a fair distance from campus.

Why is this happening to my school? I've always felt that this was such a safe place to be, but.... I'm starting to wonder. I'm so concerned for my classmates who were involved in this.

Updated On: 4/16/07 at 02:15 PM

"woa the number is rising... It's so interesting we spend all this money on fighting "terrorism" and fighting them "over there" so they wont "follow us home." So people, here it is, another terrorist act on US soil under the watchful eye of the Bush administration.

I am absolutely disgusted."

I don't think we can blame George Bush for this. If someone wants to take a gun and have a shooting spree at a McDonald's, Sears, high school, private home, movie theatre, or grocery store - they will. There are measures to HELP prevent it but if a gunman really wants to, they will.

Aside from the obvious issue of the event itself, it seems that there may be a second issue at VTech: security measures, procedures, and precautions. Lots of miscommunication.

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CapnHook that is my point.

Not saying against the government in general at this time, but I do think Bush should have made some kind of statement in person right off the bat. This is a massive American tragedy, and it's a shame a spokesperson had to give his statement. Now we have to wait two hours for his words; those that look to his words for comfort shouldn't have to wait that long.

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Updated On: 4/16/07 at 02:27 PM

This is absolutely horrifying and heartbreaking.

How can someone be so twisted?

And why did it take the university 2 and a half hours from the first shooting to the warning to students? And why, in the first press conference on the incident, did the Bush Administration feel the need to include the words "The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms"? Have they no decency?


My prayers are with the entire VT community.

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pab, I'm getting my information from local news.

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The Bush Admin. said that? Why is that necessary to include? Sure, they may believe it as a Constituional upholding in certain circumstances, but a time like this? Not the right thing to say. I suppose the answer to your question is no.

I'm horrified and yet can't take my eyes from the t.v.

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mejusthavingfun - I'm sorry, I don't see your point. The federal gov't has done and can do more to help prevent these events, but like I said, they will still happen.

My point is that either the execution of procedures at VTech didn't happen properly, or the procedures in place need to be changed. That is an isolated issue at that campus. [It seems to me as if they have had a lot of problems - bomb threats, the other loose gunmen, etc. - and now the worst has happened. On CNN, students were saying how after the first shooting the lock-down was lifted and then the gunman went on a second rampage. If there was already a shooting, who's call was it to lift the first lock-down?

There's a lot we don't know right now so I don't want to speculate. I'm simply saying to bash Bush for THIS is a little far-fetched.

But I don't want to turn this thread into a political debate. Let's keep it focused on the event, the people, and their families.

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Updated On: 4/16/07 at 02:32 PM