At Least 32 Dead at Virginia Tech

Press Conference is coming up at noon.  Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone at VT.

UPDATE: Local news is now reporting as many as 20 32 may have been killed.

UPDATE #2- Deadliest Campus Shooting in U.S. history.

Comments

[Dannyboy]

Oh my God... my God...

[Tom James]

22 dead, 28 injured. may be a shooter still on the loose,

[Ghost of A.L. Philpott]

I've been in utter disbelief. 22 dead at a building that I've had class in. This is all a nightmare...

[Tom James]

My son's dorm is next to where the shooting took place. He said earlier someone ran through the his hall with a "Big Gun" and everyone was screaming.

[Tom James]

Phone lines have been jammed of course. I was talking to my son and his phone went out while we were talking.

[phriendlyjaime]

How horrible. Dan-get the fuck outta there. NOW. We'll get our updates from the news people. Go be safe. ALL OF YOU and your children that are in and around the area-be safe, and our thoughts are with you.

[Tom James]

Don't know how the rest of you feel. But I'm angry.

I've had enough of this putting our heads in the sand while are kids are being murdered in this country and oversees.

What's it going to take to get the focus off of money and power and fix our problems.!!!!!!!1

[Tom James]

These are symptoms folks!

[Sam]

As a UVA student, I have certainly participated in my fair share of Tech bashing... But it's always amazing how fast a rivalry disappears in the face of tragedy. It's almost frustrating here, thinking that we can't do anything to help. I hope UVA finds something we can do to help our brothers in Blacksburg. This tragedy is simply beyond words.

[WestEndEd]

Sad to say, but this would be a slow day in Iraq. Not that that makes it hurt any less, but rather, we need to understand what the Bush led war is doing to the Iraqis, and the men and women in our military.

there is no reason on god's green earth that anyone not on active military duty needs to have access to the weapons that can do this.

[jeff wright]

The latest news update says that the shooter is among the dead.

[phriendlyjaime]

I have heard from a girl at work that the shootings total about 31 fatalities, but that number is not yet being reported. Also, this seems to be stemming from an angry boyfriend looking for the girl that broke up with him. Senseless, tragic, awful.

[Tom James]

Subject: Statement by President Charles W. Steger

> Shooting at Virginia Tech / Statement by President Charles W. Steger
>
> The university was struck today with a tragedy of monumental proportions.
> There were two shootings on campus. In each case, there were fatalities.
> The university is shocked and horrified that this would befall our campus.
> I want to extend my deepest, sincerest and most profound sympathies to the
> families of these victims which include students There are 22 confirmed
> deaths.
>
> We currently are in the process of notifying families of victims. The
> Virginia Tech Police are being assisted by numerous other jurisdictions.
> Crime scenes are being investigated by the FBI, University Police, and
> State Police. We continue to work to identify the victims impacted by this
> tragedy. I cannot begin to covey my own personal sense of loss over this
> senselessness of such an incomprehensible and heinous act The university
> will immediately set up counseling centers. So far centers have been
> identified in Ambler Johnson and the Cook Counseling Center to work with
> our campus community and families.
>
> Here are some of the facts we know:
>
> At about 7:15 a.m. this morning a 911 call came to the University Police
> Department concerning an event in West Amber 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. Victims have been transported to
> various hospitals in the immediate area in the region to receive emergency
> treatment.
>
> We will proceed to contact the families of victims as identities are
> available.
>
> All classes are cancelled and the university is closed for the remainder
> for the today. The university will open tomorrow at 8 a.m. but classes
> will be cancelled on Tuesday. The police are currently staging the release
> of people from campus buildings.
>
> Families wishing to reunite with the students are suggested to meet at the
> Inn at Virginia Tech. We are making plans for a convocation tomorrow
> (Tuesday) at noon at Cassell Coliseum for the university community to come
> together to begin to deal with the tragedy.

westended, STFU. This is not about Iraq, you fool.

[Tom James]

ditto

[Sam]

Honestly... There is certainly a time when discussing how this compares to life in Iraq may be appropriate... But not now. Please leave politics out of this board.

[Tom James]

Maybe if students and teachers had been armed casualties would have been less.

Take that argument elsewhere. When people want to kill they will find a way.

We just indicted a 29 year old for making a bomb threat in Caroline.

[LAS]

Dear God, what a horrible, senseless, obscene tragedy.

All of us have people or know people at VaTech. This is the school on the top of my son's list.

More dead than the guy on the Texas tower. Jesus.

Has it been reported what kind of gun the shooter(s) had?

[UVA08]

I agree Sam. Just about every Virginia high school graduate knows at least one person who went to school there. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone down in Blacksburg.

Virginia must take a hard look at who we allow and how we allow individuals to purchase firearms. We have no instacheck for gun show purchases. Localities are not allowes to prohibit firearms in rec centers. We have senior public officials carrying weapons into public buildings.

[Too Conservative]

Just uped to 25 dead.

have some pics from the scene on TC.

[Bubby]

Two hours between shootings, a gunman loose, and students still assembling for class?

Someone capable of this type of evil had to of been giving off trouble signals. Somebody did not act. We owe the victims a full,frank and honest inquiry. Rest their souls.

[Tom James]

No they have not released info on gun yet.

Guns are banned from campus!

You can't keep guns any guns on campus.

My son is a hunter. you can keep them at the police station on Campus or off campus.

So how did that law protect anyone today.

Please, enough already.

It is amazing! It appears that there was a shooting on campus, and the authorities allowed classes to continue without warning. He walked across campus!

[phriendlyjaime]

Guys, just got this off another (non political) website I post on:

MSNBC just interviewed a kid who was shot in the arm in his classroom along w/ several other students and the proffesor. He said the shooter was a college aged kid of asian decsent, wearing a maroon hat and leather jacket. Didn't say anything, just came into the class and opened fire. 2 handguns (9mm), a vest, and several clips were on the shooter.