Virginia Tech Shooting: At least 33 Fatalities

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.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

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.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

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.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by RacinReaver

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?

I believe this is a bit different. The residential dorms are a 10 minute walk from the academic side of campus. Our president is making it seem like the campus is this huge city-like area. While it is a big campus, it's not so big that you're going to be completely safe from an incident if you're on the other side (as we saw today). Also, the difference between your hometown and Virginia Tech is that the administration has everyone's e-mail (students and faculty). The main issue isn't that they failed to lock down the campus (even though they should have done just that), they failed to NOTIFY us until two hours later. Students and faculty knew NOTHING of the incident even though the police had no idea where the suspect was.

I mean no offense to those I'm debating with, but please understand my anger because I was heading for the building where the shooting took place. I also had friends on the 3rd floor of that building (shooting was on the second floor). I really think they should have warned us early.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Bradylama

There's no reason to be scared. For anybody.

I am actually kinda scared to go back on campus. I just learned that one of my professors got killed and so did my lab TA. The civil engineering department just sent out the e-mail confirming that they died. I just feel so sick. Some people are scared of a copy-cat thing. I hope our concerns are not valid.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Bradylama

I understand what you're going through, but your fears are unfounded. The actual chances of a copycat shooting occurring so soon after this are hardly even worth considering. There's never been a copycat shooting occurring on the same campus in the history of school shootings, and there's nothing to suggest that it'll happen to V Tech.

Glad to hear that. Thanks for your comforting words, even if your post was not meant as such.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

When I watch his video. All I see is an angry little boy that is not mature enough to handle what life brings. I see someone who blames other people for his troubles and someone who is mentally ill. He's just a little disturbed child that isn't worth anything. What he did was pathetic and it's unfortunate that he wasn't brave enough to face the consequences and did what a pathetic coward would do and took his life. I will spit on his grave if given the chance. I know that anger doesn't really bring that much good, but I just can't help it. That sick fuck was worthless.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Newbie1234

Society outcast him for being different, and being the person he was, he simply didn't know any better.

I guess the point is, I think we are all to blame for these kinds of events.

First of all, his professors tried to help him. The police tried to help him. The counselors at our counseling center tried to help him. His roommates were patient with him and invited him to dinner and to parties. How was he outcast again? That's right, he wasn't outcast by others. He chose to be a loner. He chose to do what he did. NO ONE is to blame for the murders other than that sick, worthless bastard.

We're all bullied or made fun of some time in our life. None of that is worthy of ANY fault. No one is at fault but that pathetic loser.

How ya doing, buddy?