BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing 21 people and wounding another 21 before he was killed, police said.
On the Web site, Tech reported the shootings at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus at West Ambler Johnston, a co-ed residence hall that houses 895 people, and said there were "multiple victims" at Norris Hall, an engineering building.
All entrances to the campus were closed and classes canceled through Tuesday.
"There's just a lot of commotion. It's hard to tell exactly what's going on," said student 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 4th 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."
It was second time in less than a year that the campus was closed because of a shooting.
In August 2006, 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.
Shooting at Virginia Tech!
Moderator: Available
Shooting at Virginia Tech!
I'm not sure how accurate this is, but it just came across the wire.
I was dreaming of the past...
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
The details are being worked out, Mike. But the situation is very real.
There were two separate incidents. The shootings/killing(s) started in a dorm. When the police were investigating at location 1, the shootings resumed in an academic building.
One shooter is confirmed dead.
Let's send our best wishes to Diremind, the Uechi club there, and all students at the Virginia Tech campus. This is not good, and there will be much time needed to put the pieces back together again.
- Bill
There were two separate incidents. The shootings/killing(s) started in a dorm. When the police were investigating at location 1, the shootings resumed in an academic building.
One shooter is confirmed dead.
Let's send our best wishes to Diremind, the Uechi club there, and all students at the Virginia Tech campus. This is not good, and there will be much time needed to put the pieces back together again.
- Bill
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
A number of students from the Virginia Tech campus have been calling friends, families, and television stations concerning this incident.
The shooter (we believe there was just one) was armed with two semi-automatic pistols. The killings obviously were well planned. He had a vest with multiple magazines on it, and reloaded in a matter of seconds whenever he ran out of ammunition. I believe one weapon was 9 mm, and another a 22.
One student in an engineering classroom desribed what it was like when he came into the classroom and shot many of his friends and possibly his teacher. This student talked from his cell phone to the local television station (WWBT, Channel 12) after having had a bullet go through his upper arm. Apparently when the gunman finished the magazine, he went to reload. A number of students rushed the door, and slammed it shut - preventing him from re-entering. The gunman actually shot through the door to try to regain entry.
It makes no sense for me to profile the gunman at this point in time. All we know is that it was a young Asian male - probably in his twenties.
And we know there are over 30 dead.
- Bill
The shooter (we believe there was just one) was armed with two semi-automatic pistols. The killings obviously were well planned. He had a vest with multiple magazines on it, and reloaded in a matter of seconds whenever he ran out of ammunition. I believe one weapon was 9 mm, and another a 22.
One student in an engineering classroom desribed what it was like when he came into the classroom and shot many of his friends and possibly his teacher. This student talked from his cell phone to the local television station (WWBT, Channel 12) after having had a bullet go through his upper arm. Apparently when the gunman finished the magazine, he went to reload. A number of students rushed the door, and slammed it shut - preventing him from re-entering. The gunman actually shot through the door to try to regain entry.
It makes no sense for me to profile the gunman at this point in time. All we know is that it was a young Asian male - probably in his twenties.
And we know there are over 30 dead.
- Bill
I have texted Ross (Diremind) to see if he and the other Tech kids that were at Raffi Seminar are okay. I haven't heard anything from him as of yet. At least two of the students he brought to the Raffi Seminar were engineering majors. I am praying that they are all okay.
My daughter at UVA called me at 10:15 am this morning because her boyfriend, best friend, and several good friends go to Tech. She got in touch with both of them via cell phone. They were okay. Her boyfriend was in the same building the shooter was in. Thank God he is okay.
Will let you know if I hear from Diremind.
God Bless,
Vicki
My daughter at UVA called me at 10:15 am this morning because her boyfriend, best friend, and several good friends go to Tech. She got in touch with both of them via cell phone. They were okay. Her boyfriend was in the same building the shooter was in. Thank God he is okay.
Will let you know if I hear from Diremind.
God Bless,
Vicki
Last edited by chef on Mon Apr 16, 2007 10:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Cry in the dojo, laugh in the battlefield"
-
benzocaine
- Posts: 2107
- Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2003 12:20 pm
- Location: St. Thomas
Hey all,
Was on campus about 2 buildings away when the shootings occurred this morning. It's a very bad situation here and the media is not helping.
I can tell you this. Nearly everyone here knows someone who was killed. I have a professor and a TA who were killed. You honestly see this stuff happen on the news, but never think it will happen where you live. I hate the media for their attempt to blame our police department and university officials. You can't possibly lock down a campus of this size in a short amount of time. Also, Virginia Tech police don't have the resources to cover all buildings. When somebody decides to do something like this there is really know way to stop it. Tech is a safe school and this was obviously an incident of somebody who is unstable.
Pray for all who've been affected.
-Ross
Was on campus about 2 buildings away when the shootings occurred this morning. It's a very bad situation here and the media is not helping.
I can tell you this. Nearly everyone here knows someone who was killed. I have a professor and a TA who were killed. You honestly see this stuff happen on the news, but never think it will happen where you live. I hate the media for their attempt to blame our police department and university officials. You can't possibly lock down a campus of this size in a short amount of time. Also, Virginia Tech police don't have the resources to cover all buildings. When somebody decides to do something like this there is really know way to stop it. Tech is a safe school and this was obviously an incident of somebody who is unstable.
Pray for all who've been affected.
-Ross
Did you catch the Daily Show commentary on the Nancy Grace show in the wake of the Duke lacrosse thing? The woman has olympic-level leap-to-conclusion skills.benzocaine wrote:Nancy Grace is on right now on CNN. It's sickening. The woman is blaming Tech's Police for this. Then she is bashing Montgomerry county saying they are not able to handle traumas.... well we in Roanoke are and wea are a mere 30 minute drive away
Mike
-
Bill Glasheen
- Posts: 17299
- Joined: Thu Mar 11, 1999 6:01 am
- Location: Richmond, VA --- Louisville, KY
Ross
We are so glad you are well. Give my very best to all the Uechika who visited us, and to your entire group.
My heart is heavy for those you knew who were lost to this tragedy.
As for the gunman - assuming it was just one individual - there seems to be an insidious pattern merging forth. Some are suggesting that bomb threats last week very well may have been this individual (or individuals) testing the emergency response systems. Maybe... Or maybe it's just paranoia.
This is the fog of battle. It takes time for all the facts to come forth. This is why it's dangerous both to speculate and to lay blame so early.
In my mind there's a very good reason why officials are holding information to their chests. It's believed they know the identity of the gunman who was found in the engineering school. However there's much work to be done to consider all the other pieces of evidence. Ballistics studies will need to be done to connect that individual to the dorm room, or establish perhaps it was another gunman. And then they'll have to trace steps back to the residence of the gunman, his (potentially foreign) origin, etc., etc.
If you see Nancy Grace, tell her there's a full moon out east here in Richmond - just for her.
- Bill
We are so glad you are well. Give my very best to all the Uechika who visited us, and to your entire group.
My heart is heavy for those you knew who were lost to this tragedy.
As for the gunman - assuming it was just one individual - there seems to be an insidious pattern merging forth. Some are suggesting that bomb threats last week very well may have been this individual (or individuals) testing the emergency response systems. Maybe... Or maybe it's just paranoia.
This is the fog of battle. It takes time for all the facts to come forth. This is why it's dangerous both to speculate and to lay blame so early.
In my mind there's a very good reason why officials are holding information to their chests. It's believed they know the identity of the gunman who was found in the engineering school. However there's much work to be done to consider all the other pieces of evidence. Ballistics studies will need to be done to connect that individual to the dorm room, or establish perhaps it was another gunman. And then they'll have to trace steps back to the residence of the gunman, his (potentially foreign) origin, etc., etc.
If you see Nancy Grace, tell her there's a full moon out east here in Richmond - just for her.
- Bill
-
benzocaine
- Posts: 2107
- Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2003 12:20 pm
- Location: St. Thomas
SAD NEWS...
My daughter's best friend is at Tech, along with her boyfriend. They all have been in touch throughout the last 24 hours
I just found out that her best friend's 'Big Sister' from her sorority was one of the students killed, but this hasn't been released yet. Her best friend is badly shaken over this.
Incredibly sad news.
Regards,
Vicki
I just found out that her best friend's 'Big Sister' from her sorority was one of the students killed, but this hasn't been released yet. Her best friend is badly shaken over this.
Incredibly sad news.
Regards,
Vicki
"Cry in the dojo, laugh in the battlefield"
Some of the names are starting to be released, including the shooter and two professors killed:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/17/vtech. ... index.html
This story also adds some detail to the shooters methods.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/17/vtech. ... index.html
This story also adds some detail to the shooters methods.
Glenn
