Remember in Fahrenheit 9/11 with the video footage of Bush sitting in the classroom with those kids right after being told what happened? He let it sink in for 7mins. Probably one of those, "holy shit" moments. Unfortunately that 7mins was too long as many expected to hear from him immediately.

I guess it's part of the job. Bad things happen, and you look to the guy in charge. You spread yourself thin as a president. Sometimes you get credit for things you do, and things you don't do (both good and bad).

My God; I just saw the camera video. I'm actually crying right now. I don't personally know anyone at VATech, but my hearts go out to everyone there.

So you think Bush shouldn't comment on this? Look, I dislike him as much as the next person, but it would be horrible if he didn't talk about this. This is the worst shooting incident in U.S. history, and you're saying Bush should go back to bed? Seriously... Damned if you do, damned if you don't, I guess.

Just seen the camera video myself. Pretty disturbing when I come to think of it. Can't imagine what it must have been like, and I don't really want to.

Just a shame there's still this sort of mindless violence in the world.

Don't worry, I'm sure they will.

Layers of shit indeed. This was painful to hear, and my parents called in concern about it, even though I go to Georgia Tech and not Virginia. My heart aches for all those that died.

I'm going to really hate what could be the inevitable backlash against video games.

There was a shooting at the University of Arizona nursing college where a few people were killed and several injured when I was teaching in the neighboring building and we heard he was out on the loose while I was in the middle of teaching.

I remember how absolutely terrifying that was, but I sure am glad I was able to find out about it.

I don't think he needs to feel entitled to give his 2 cents on this matter.

Seriously, what's he going to say that's going to be any different than what the collective public is already thinking? What's going to be said that we haven't even said here?

I'm not saying he needs to act like a cold and uncaring person about it, but I just think a press conference with cameras and the press asking him questions on stuff that he probably has just as much of a clue as we do is just a little unnecessary for this.

This is so insane. I was heading to Norris from my apartment this morning when our bus driver driver got a call from his radio. the Blacksburg Transit base called to all the bus drivers and told them to stay off campus or leave campus if they're there already. We were stopped at a bus stop for about 10 minutes and he let us leave because he said we wouldn't be going anywhere. At that time, the news was reporting 1 dead and a number injured.

I'm really shaken up by this. I dropped a class that I used to have at 8:00 am earlier this year in Randolph (the building across Norris where the shootings took place) and I would always go from my class in Randolph to Norris around 10:00 AM. Our bus driver reported the shootings to us around 9:45 and I'm wondering what would have happened if I still had that class and I was around that area.

I'm just really thankful that I didn't go to class early today and that I didn't have that 8:00 AM class anymore. This is so devastating and I don't even know what I feel right now. I just feel really sick.


I've been talking to my roommates and friends about this and we all were wondering about something. The shooting at West AJ took place around 7:15, but there was no e-mail until 9:20. With classes starting at 8:00, the school should have at least notified us of what happened. Since they didn't know where the gunman was, they should have told everyone to stay at home.

While they couldn't have known something like this would have happened, they should have at least told everyone not to come to class with a shooter that was still loose. I'm sure it was hectic and there were a lot of things going on, but I think they didn't handle this too well.

*sigh* This truly puts a lot of things into perspective. My mom called me from work and I've been watching the news all day trying to follow this story. It really sucks that selfish people like that can ruin so many lives. :(

Personally, I don't think there will be a major backlash aimed at video games. It is likely that some fanatic will try and take down the whole damned industry, but with Jack Thompson basically out of the picture, I don't anyone would want to follow in his footsteps. All I can do is HOPE that instead of wasting time arguing about video game violence, people will spend time debating more important things, such as gun and school safety.

Yeah, they're getting grilled about this on the press conference right now. I don't think they had too much they could have done but still the decision to lock down students ONCE they arrived at their classrooms was probably the best thing they could have done given the situation.

I don't even know what to think of this: Protocol was followed down to a "t" and already the press is already throwing accusations as if the university's president and police chief were at fault for any of this.

Guys... The blame here lies solely on Bawl's and Counter Strike, OK?

Yeah, I don't share the reporters' anger that we can see at the press conference, but my friend was in the 3rd floor of that building and he knew nothing of the incident that occurred at 7:15 in West AJ. This is two hours later and they were just taking a test and none of them knew of what had happened. Maybe I'm just angry at the whole situation and looking for someone to get angry at, but I agree with what you said about locking down after students arrived on campus.

I'm not completely angry at the administration, but what they could have done was send out an e-mail right away instead of waiting over 2 hours. Some people check their e-mails before going to class; I don't, but my roommate does. I think the students should be notified right away if someone is shot on campus whether or not the situation is under control. The thing is, the situation was not under control because they had no one in custody.

For example, what is a student checked his or her e-mail that morning before heading for an 8:00 AM class. From the residence side of campus to the academic side, it only takes about 10 minutes to walk. When I lived on campus, I would leave 15 minutes before class. If the university had sent out an e-mail right after the incident, the student might not have gone to class knowing there was a shooter on the loose and that he might still be on campus. This might have saved lives.

Last week, we had 2 bomb threats and the university was very quick in sending out an e-mail. They were also very quick with e-mails in the incident on the first day of classes this year. What happened this time?

I completely understand what you are saying devoxycontin, but I just can't help but be angry at the fact that 2 hours passed before an e-mail was sent out.

May I ask how bad the gun crisis in America must get before its dealt with? To think that classes continued on a campus after 2 people had been shot, I find that fucking insane, surely i'm not the only one?

Ok, apologies for the phrasing, I meant rampages such as these, they're becoming far too familiar at this stage

What does legality have to do with it? Legality does not negate the possibility of a "gun crisis".

Nah, I'm just wondering how you could attempt to ignore something like 2 people being shot on a college campus? Allow students to continue their day with a killer on the grounds, y'know?

Yes, as did I. From what you said, it sounded like you were saying that these rampages couldn't be seen as part of a gun control problem just because the shooters bought their weapons legally, which is a ludicrous assumption.

According to the news over here, the gunman shot himself, is that right? It is pretty strange that someone who has had two hours to mull over his first murders and still feels no remorse decides to finish himself.

My prayers go out to everyone who was a part of this, including the families of the deceased. This is terrible :(

My hometown of 20,000+ doesn't come to a screeching halt when someone gets shot 15 minutes away. I mean, what reason would they have had to believe the person that shot the people earlier was planning on going on a rampage a few hours later?

One thing I'm actually curious about is how someone not affiliated with the school was able to get into a dorm at 7:00 in the morning. Who's even awake to let the dude in?

Holy smoking crepe. ._. I still can't actually believe this has really happened.

My condolences to all the people affected and stuff.