Virginia Tech Shooting, At Least 32 Dead and 21 Wounded

BLACKSBURG (VA). Thirty-two people are currently known to be dead, with another twenty-one wounded in shootings that took place today - - April 16, 2007 - - on the campus of Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, Virginia. Although details are still coming in, it has been reported that the shooter wounded and killed students in two different areas at opposite ends of the campus.

According to student reports, the first shooting apparently took place around 7:15 a.m. in the morning in West Ambler Johnston, which is one of the university's co-ed dorms. One student is known to have been killed in that dorm and several others were wounded. Additional reports indicate that some students jumped from dorm windows in order to escape the shooter. Most of them sustained nothing more than broken bones, cuts, and bruises.

Almost two hours later, more gunshots were heard inside of Norris Hall, one of engineering buildings on campus. Virginia Polytechnic and State University - - more commonly called Virginia Tech - - is well known for its outstanding engineering program. There are conflicting reports regarding exactly what happened within the classrooms of that building.

Some reports say the shooter of Norris Hall was heavily armed with belts of ammunition and that he was supposedly shooting people randomly both in the hallway and inside classrooms. However, other reports say that some students were actually pulled out of classrooms, lined up against a wall, and shot. Neither of those reports has yet been confirmed.

The campus was put on immediate lockdown after the Norris shootings. Several classes of students were ushered down to lower levels of the building. Others were simply told to get under their tables and stay away from the windows. In all instances, wherever possible, classrooms were cloaked in darkness in an attempt to provide additional protection.

At one point the lockdown was temporarily lifted. Students indicate that an all-clear announcement was given, at which time students and professors began to scatter only to have the gunman begin shooting once again. At that point the school went into complete lockdown. At this point classes have been canceled through Tuesday.

According to the university president, counselors are being brought in to meet with students and faculty to help them emotionally deal with this tragedy. Parents coming to campus to meet with their children are being asked to stay clear of police and FBI officials and were given a location to go to in order to reunite with their children.

President Bush has already issued his deepest condolences to the families of students and staff of the university. Governor Kaine, who was out of the country at the time the shooting took place, is already on his way back to the state.

The next of kin of students and faculty continue to be notified, but it is expected to take some time. Officials are still trying to determine exactly what happened and if the shootings had any connection to bomb threats that the university suffered within the last two weeks.

It is believed that the attacks were perpetrated by a lone gunman who is, himself, now dead. However, even that fact has yet to be confirmed. No one is certain of the reason behind the attacks nor how the gunman might have died.

As a former consultant to Virginia Tech, I can say that no one would ever anticipate this kind of violence on this beautiful little sleepy little campus. The university community at Blacksburg is very tight and extremely well run. It focuses heavily on the well being of its students and provides more than what would normally be considered just adequate security.