Virginia Tech shootings

[Wayne Harrison]

Got word of shootings this morning at Virginia Tech ... 22 dead, including the gunman... CNN, Fox News, MSNBC all live with non-stop coverage.

Carol Zokaites with the VPI Grotto says cavers are checking in on their listserv.... many of them are on the rescue squad and are involved in the aftermath of this -- rescues of students...

Hoping someone from VPI is able to post more info here as they have time.

[Wayne Harrison]

Statement by Virginia Tech President Charles Steger on Monday afternoon after the fatal shootings of 21 students:

Well, today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions. There were two shootings which occurred on campus. In each case there were fatalities. The university is shocked and indeed horrified that this would befall us, and I want to extend my deepest and most sincere and profound sympathy to the families of these victims, which include our students.

We are currently in the process of notifying next of kin. The Virginia Tech police are being assisted by numerous other jurisdictions including Montgomery County. Crime scenes are being investigated by the university police, the FBI and the state police.

We continue to work to identify the victims that have been impacted by this tragedy. I cannot begin to convey my own personal sense of loss over this senseless and incomprehensible heinous act. The university will immediately set up counseling centers. So far, centers have been identified in Ambler Johnston and the Cook counseling center to work with our campus community and their families.

Now here are some of the facts as we know them. At about 7:15 this morning, a 911 call came to the university police department concerning an event in West Ambler Johnston Hall. There were multiple shooting victims. While in the process of investigating, about two hours later, the university received reports of a shooting in Norris Hall. The police immediately responded.

The shooter in Norris Hall is deceased. There are multiple fatalities. The number of fatalities has not been confirmed. Victims have been transported to various hospitals in the immediate area in the region to receive emergency treatment. And we will proceed to contact the next of kin as the victims' identities are available. All classes are canceled and the university is closed for the remainder of the day.

The university will open tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., but classes will be canceled on Tuesday. The police are currently staging the release of people from campus buildings. Families wishing to reunite with their students are suggested to meet at the Inn at Virginia Tech, the building that we're in today. Were making plans for a convocation tomorrow at noon in Cassell Coliseum for the university to come together to begin the healing process from this terrible tragedy.

That ends my prepared comments.

[Princess Butterfly]

From what I was reading on the listserv all the cavers seem to be ok. Many people have kindly offered up their houses as a place for students to stay if they evacuate the residential side of campus. So far from what they've said the Academic side has been evacuated, but students are still holed up in their dorm rooms.

Here is the link to get to the police frequencies for the NRV. http://www.newrivervalleynews.com/

Norris is one of the engineering buildings next to Holden hall. This building houses the Engineering office and the department of Engineering Science and Mechanics. I've had fluids, thermo, statics, deforms and dynamics in this building. From what I've heard the shooter just walked into the classroom and opened fire.

My thoughts go out to all those in Blacksburg now and the famlies of those who have lost their lives today.

[volica]

31 victims [i]

[Princess Butterfly]

33 including the gunman.

[Squirrel Girl]

33 including the gunman.

33 including a gunman. He may or may not have been the gunman for the earlier incident.

It's such a sad, sad thing. A university filled with a bunch of geeky engineering students. And then, that.

[Scott McCrea]

[KENTO]

I am having a hard time jibing todays news with my memories of times spent in this wonderful , normally peaceful town. There are so many cool people, cavers, hikers, artists and ...yes engineering "geeks" that I would call the salt of the earth , actually. I grieve for them the loss of innocence today. I pity the shooter who must have been one sick individual. What is the difference, I wonder between his life and mine? I can only hope for healing and a return to peace for all these people today.

[hollieberryb]

I agree, KENTO. I grew up in that area, and my heart stopped when I heard the news. I'm so grateful my family still up there is okay, and I send my heartfelt sympathies for the victims and their families.

[Squirrel Girl]

Yeah, in case, it didn't come across, I kinda consider myself a geeky engineer-type. I collaborated with some Virginia Techies. I haven't spent a lot of time there, but yep, fond thoughts, and sad feelings.

Pat on the shoulder to the Hokies.

[steelwool]

I am so glad I set my alarm wrong last night and missed this mornings class.

[Princess Butterfly]

I am so glad I set my alarm wrong last night and missed this mornings class.

If your going to pick a day to sleep in you picked a good one Philip. How long did you have to stay in lock down in the dorms?

I was glad to find out that all the cavers and Mining Engineers are ok. Some of the mining students could see the shooting and them carrying bodies out from where they were in the computer lab in Holden Hall.

It's such a sad, sad thing. A university filled with a bunch of geeky engineering students. And then, that.

Hey! I resemble that remark!!

My condolences go out to all the friends and family members of those who were killed yesterday.

[Bill W.]

Glad to hear you & the rest of the cavers are OK, Philip. See you at the cable ladder at OTR!

Bill Wolford
NSS 25997L

[KENTO]

I watched the convocation live on ABC news today from my computer here in Indiana. I noted the guestbook for condolences set up by the Roanoke times has 355 pages already. Indeed, as the Governor and our President strived to express, "Blacksburg , all of America is with you, in our hearts and minds"

[Squirrel Girl]

As news comes out on this, there are several things I find remarkable.

First off, the guy who did the deed graduated from a high school that I drive past *every day* on my way to work, and his parents live just a stone's throw from my office (well, about a mile). Of course the police station that was shot up a young guy about a year ago was as far from my office as the high school, too.


I spent some time reading about the shooter. He was clearly mentally ill. On the one hand, one might say, "How could someone who does that *not* be mentally ill?" But sometimes crazy thing happen by people who aren't mentally ill.

The spooky thing is that that just Sunday night, the radio program The Infinite Mind had this week's show on the topic of *immigrants and mental illness and how they didn't get treatment*!!!!!!! Talk about a foreshadowing of the next day! A teacher had tried to get the kid some mental help when she read his disturbed writings, but was able to get the police to help, and wasn't getting far with the kid himself <of course that might have been true irrespective of the immigrant status>.

If anyone wants to be disturbed, here's the links to two plays the shooter wrote:
http://newsbloggers.aol.com/2007/04/17/ ... uis-plays/