One Dead in School Shooting at Virginia Tech, Suspect in Custody (Update: Reported 20 Fatalities, Now 22 … 29 … 32 … 33)
Posted in: Crime,Deceased,Education,Murder,VA Tech Massacre
Officials have confirmed that one person is dead and several others have been wounded in a shooting incident incident at the West Ambler Johnston residence hall. The gunman is reportedly in custody. Many more updates to follow below including from local Blacksburg, VA newspapers of actual accounts.
Report: Gunman at Virginia Tech University Caught After 1 Person Killed
UPDATE I: Two shootings have occurred at VA Tech this morning. One at West Ambler Johnston residence hall and the other at Norris Hall.
From the Virginia Tech web-site:
University Advisory:
Gunman on campus; all classes canceled
04/16/2007, Updated 10:51 a.m.In addition to an earlier shooting today in West Ambler Johnston, there has been a multiple shooting with multiple victims in Norris Hall. Police and EMS are on the scene.
Police have one shooter in custody and as part of routine police procedure, they continue to search for a second shooter.
All people in university buildings are required to stay inside until further notice. All entrances to campus are closed.
(locations of shootings at VA Tech)
AP: As Many as 8 Additional Casualties in Shooting at Virginia Tech Campus; 1 Confirmed Dead
School officials planned a noon EDT press conference Monday.
The school’s Web site also confirmed the shooting at opposite ends of the 2,600-acre campus at West Ambler Johnston, a residence hall, and reported “multiple victims” at Norris Hall, an engineering building.
Local FOX affiliate WFXR-TV in Richmond reported that there were two shooting incidents on campus — one that occurred between 7:15 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston Dorm, and another at 10 a.m. at Norris Hall. Police will not confirm in which incident someone was injured, or where. (Fox News)
UPDATE II: 1 Killed in Shootings at Virginia Tech
“There’s just a lot of commotion. It’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on,” said student Jason Anthony Smith, 19, who lives in the building where shooting took place.
Madison Van Duyne, a student who was interviewed by telephone on CNN, said, “We are all in lockdown. Most of the students are sitting on the floors away from the windows just trying to be as safe as possible.”
Officials ordered the campus closed, the second time in less than a year the 26,000-student campus was shut because of a shooting. (Breitbart)
UPDATE III: Virginia Tech Shooting: One Dead, 2 Possible Shooters, One In Custody
Virginia Tech Shooting Update – A gunman, who is possibly one of the students, is currently on the loose at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. One gunmen has been apprehended and there would appear to be a second one on the loose, according to reports.
The campus of Virginia Tech is currently the scene of at least two separate shootings. (Post Chronicle)
UPDATE IV: Reports are now indicating that there may be at least 17 wounded in the shooting.
UPDATE V: Va Tech News Conference, OMG there appear to be 20 fatalities in this mornings shootings. The police believe that there was only one gunman. This story just went from bad to tragic. The police are reporting that there are at least 20 dead from this mornings shootings on the campus of Virginia Tech. Our prayers go out to all the families, friends and loved ones of this senseless and tragic event.
UPDATE VI: Updates from The Collegiate Times, Now 22 fatalities and gunman confirmed dead
Monday, April 16th 2007 12:23AM
Virginia Tech police have confirmed 22 fatalities resulting from the campus shootings today. The gunman has also been confirmed dead.Three people were escorted out of Norris Hall by police. The three were handcuffed, separated, questioned, unhandcuffed and then canine teams were sent into Norris Hall said junior computer engineer Nick Saunders who watched the events unfold from the the second floor of Randolph Hall.
UPDATE VII: 22 dead in Va. Tech shooting rampage
The numbers of dead and casualties continue to rise.
BLACKSBURG, Va. – At least 22 people were killed Monday in a shooting rampage on the Virginia Tech campus, police said. They said the gunman was among the dead.
In addition to those killed, officials said at least 28 people were wounded.
Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum said the gunman was dead, but that he didn’t know how he died. (MSNBC)
UPDATE VIII: Local TV Accounts of the Deadliest Shooting on a School Campus in History.
UPDATE IX: President George W. Bush reacts to VA Tech
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush was described Monday as shocked and saddened by the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, the deadliest incident of campus violence ever in this country.
“He was horrified and his immediate reaction was one of deep concern for the families of the victims, the victims themselves, the students, the professors and all the people of Virginia who have dealt with this shocking incident,” White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said. “His thoughts and prayers are with them.”
UPDATE X: Death Toll Up to 29 as per ABC, Massacre at Virginia Tech: 29 Confirmed Dead
Now Fox News is stateing that there are 32 confirmed deaths.
UPDATE XI: Follow continued live reporting from Roanoke.com
Statement from VA Senator Jim Webb
“I am truly saddened to hear of the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech. My heart goes out to the parents and families of the victims of this senseless act. My office has been in communication with the Governor’s office and officials at Virginia Tech to offer any assistance.”
UPDATE XII: President George W. Bush comments on shootings at VA Tech.
THE PRESIDENT: Our nation is shocked and saddened by the news of the shootings at Virginia Tech today. The exact total has not yet been confirmed, but it appears that more than 30 people were killed and many more were wounded.
I’ve spoken with Governor Tim Kaine and Virginia Tech President Charles Steger. I told them that Laura and I and many across our nation are praying for the victims and their families and all the members of the university community who have been devastated by this terrible tragedy. I told them that my administration would do everything possible to assist with the investigation, and that I pledged that we would stand ready to help local law enforcement and the local community in any way we can during this time of sorrow.
Schools should be places of safety and sanctuary and learning. When that sanctuary is violated, the impact is felt in every American classroom and every American community.
Today, our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones at Virginia Tech. We hold the victims in our hearts, we lift them up in our prayers, and we ask a loving God to comfort those who are suffering today.
Thank you.
(AP/The Roanoke Times)
UPDATE XIII: Video of Press Conderence from VA Tech
During the press conference, school officals struggled to explain the chain of events and why events occured as they did this morning.
University President Charles Steger said authorities believed that the shooting at the dorm was a domestic dispute and mistakenly thought the gunman had fled the campus.
“We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur,” Steger said.
He defending the university’s handling of the tragedy, saying: “We can only make decisions based on the information you had on the time. You don’t have hours to reflect on it.”
Steger said school officials are notifying victims’ next of kin, and state police and the FBI are still investigating the various crime scenes. Campus police confirmed that the bodies of some of the victims had not yet been removed, and the process of identifying them was ongoing (Fox News)
UPDATE XIV: 33 now dead, Gunman kills 32 including himself in Va Tech Massacre
BLACKSBURG, Va. – A gunman massacred 32 people at Virginia Tech in the
deadliest shooting rampage in modern U.S. history Monday, cutting down his victims in two attacks two hours and a half-mile apart before the university could figure out what was going on and get the warning out to students.
The bloodbath ended with the gunman committing suicide, bringing the death toll to 33 and stamping the campus in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains with tragedy, perhaps forever. (Yahoo News)
Social Web