VA Tech Shooting

Discussion in 'Serious Chat' started by palingenesis, Apr 16, 2007.

  1. #21
    Mark

    Mark Canadian Beauty LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    24,864
    Likes Received:
    463



    There's actually some lunatics out there posting pictures on websites about how this could have been prevented if the students had been allowed the "peacable possession of firearms".

    Yeah, 26,000 vigilantes with guns. Sounds like a fucking brilliant idea.

    I'm incredulous as to the ridiculous nature of these people and their campaign. Who the hell turns a group created to share condolences in this terrible tragedy into a gun rally? The fucking nerve of some people.
     
  2. #22
    Shade

    Shade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2003
    Messages:
    522
    Likes Received:
    3



    I couldn't hear the gunshots, the first shooting was in West Ambler Johnson Hall, a coed dorm. My dorm Pritchard is right next to it - so that was a little freaky. I know several people living in West AJ, but they're all ok. The remainder of the shootings as I understand it took place in Norris Hall, an academic building on the other side of campus, separated by a huge field.

    Thanks, just happy it's over and my friends are ok.

    Anyways, we're all awaiting to see what the rest of this week will bring, and the inevitable storm of controversy. Everyone is wondering why classes weren't canceled after the first shooting (the two were separated by 2 hours). Even if there was a solid reason for it, it's sure to brood a lot of anger.
     
  3. #23
    androidkaita

    androidkaita Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    1,125
    Likes Received:
    3


  4. #24
    abajaj2280

    abajaj2280 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2007
    Messages:
    100
    Likes Received:
    0



    there are people on MSNBC posting comments saying that more people should have died...
    WTF
     
  5. #25
    Daniel

    Daniel Run for your life. LPA Super Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2006
    Messages:
    7,219
    Likes Received:
    74


  6. #26
    Mark

    Mark Canadian Beauty LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    24,864
    Likes Received:
    463



    Just put this in my Facebook notes.
     
  7. #27
    Todd

    Todd FLǕGGȦ∂NKđ€ČHIŒβǾLʃÊN LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    1,061,053
    Likes Received:
    109



    Thats really what angers me. Canceling classes could have prevented this, and these 30 people might still be alive.
     
  8. #28
    Mark

    Mark Canadian Beauty LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    24,864
    Likes Received:
    463



    Well, the ones who weren't shot in the first shooting, at least.

    I have to question their choice not to cancel classes, as well. I mean, even if they didn't think students were at risk, wouldn't they cancel anyways for grieving and to calm the students down?
     
  9. #29
    Todd

    Todd FLǕGGȦ∂NKđ€ČHIŒβǾLʃÊN LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    1,061,053
    Likes Received:
    109



    You'd think so. My school didn't hesitate to shut down the entire campus when a student in one of the buildings went nuts, called in a bomb threat (for a single building, not even the entire campus) and claimed a white powder he had in a bag was anthrax. (no bomb, and it was powdered sugar). You would think that a fucking double homicide on campus would be enough to cancel classes if powdered sugar is. The VT administration really screwed this one up, and I hope they truly regretted it.

    I wonder if they were reading My Pet Goat for those 2 hours
     
  10. #30
    Harlz

    Harlz More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me LPA Super Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2006
    Messages:
    6,779
    Likes Received:
    54



    Dammit, its just pathetic how some people react to things.

    Im hearing that its because his girlfriend broke up with him.
    I feel sorry for the guy, but everyone has problems like that, he should've dealt with it like the rest of us.

    My sympathies to the families of those who passed today.
     
  11. #31
    Tomi

    Tomi   LPA Addict

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2004
    Messages:
    16,514
    Likes Received:
    51



    *mutters* That man is getting on my nerves.

    He just has to follow around every fucking shooting and blame it on video games. "Hey look! A shooting! VIDEO GAMES! VIDEO GAMES! VIDEO GAMES!"

    I can't believe he can call himself a "school shooting expert" either. Unbelievable.
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2007
  12. #32
    Shade

    Shade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2003
    Messages:
    522
    Likes Received:
    3



    I'm sure there's going to be tons of asinine statements about how students should be arming up to prevent this in the future. I know several people who already think that. I find it absolutely amazing that anyone could think it would be wise to arm a college population. What better than to combine binge drinking with munitions.

    There's a memorial convocation tomorrow. The rest of the week is anyone's guess. It's very strange to see your college, which really becomes your home, or at least it has mine after three years, all over the news. Though I have not been hit directly by this as of yet, my roommate and several other friends of mine have. The response from the global community has been pretty astounding. I've heard from people near and far passing their condolences, as have most students here.

    In all honesty a lot of the campus population didn't even know about the first shooting to begin with. It happened so early in the morning, and many students aren't quick to check their email around 9 am - assuming their up to begin with. My roommate went to his 8 am without any knowledge of anything. I actually told him about it all when I turned around after attempting to get to my 10 am. My ex got out of class around 9 am and police were closing off the building she was in (next door to Norris where the second shooting took place). She asked what was going on and they only replied with "something's happening" and ran off. While everything was unfolding a lot of us knew very little. The administration simply didn't take the first shooting seriously enough - a costly mistake. A mistake's a mistake, but somebody is gonna catch a lot of flak over this one.

    TIME posted an article talks about the lack of communication well:

    http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1610857-3,00.html
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2007
  13. #33
    Mark

    Mark Canadian Beauty LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    24,864
    Likes Received:
    463



    It's really crazy, how fucked up some people can be. I can't even begin to imagine how surreal all of this is to you, Shade.

    I mean, hell, it's surreal to me and I'm a University student living in Eastern Canada. I flipped out when I heard the news. I was fixated on CNN for 4 hours as the news rolled in. I'm disgusted and dismayed by the senselessness of all of this. It must be tenfold for the students of VT.

    Once again, my condolences go out to all the victims, their families and friends, and all of the students of VT who had to go through such a traumatic and horrific tragedy. Words can barely even describe how shocked I am about the entire incident.

    Take care, Shade. Wow.
     
  14. #34
    Todd

    Todd FLǕGGȦ∂NKđ€ČHIŒβǾLʃÊN LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    1,061,053
    Likes Received:
    109




    All it takes is for one student who does check his e-mail to call or text a few friends, who in turn, do the same. During our scare, that's how word got around since e-mails were sent only 30 minutes before the first class. And for those of us who didn't hear the news before hand, the police barricades, crime scene tape, and HAZMAT tents were enough to alert you that something was up.

    I've seen the "There's no way they could alert everyone" excuse used a few times today. No, there isn't a way to alert every single one, especially when you have more than 20,000 students. But they could have definitely gotten the word out to thousands of students, and if it would have saved one life, it would've been worth it. It just seems to me that the administration really messed up on this one.

    If I were you, I don't know if I could ever go back to that campus and especially that building. It felt weird enough going back into the building where some student threatened to infect people with powdered sugar the day before, it definitely was a strange feeling, that I think would be a lot worse considering what happened at VT.

    And now, we have to worry about copycat attacks. IIRC, we had a few after Columbine. It scares me to think what else may happen in the coming weeks. And security at a college is impossible. There's no realistic way to have students go through metal detectors or stuff like that, people are always coming and going, and hundreds of students enter a building at a time for class. Its not like high school where you go in the building and stay put all day. What happened today really makes you realize how vulnerable colleges around the world are to this.
     
  15. #35
    Shade

    Shade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2003
    Messages:
    522
    Likes Received:
    3



    I do agree that the administration messed up big time. I think a lot of this could've been avoided if they had contacted the RAs within the dorms waayyy earlier. It's not too difficult for each RA to bang on the 20 so doors they watch over and that would get the word out quickly to most of the on campus residents, where it clearly needed to.
     
  16. #36
    Todd

    Todd FLǕGGȦ∂NKđ€ČHIŒβǾLʃÊN LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    1,061,053
    Likes Received:
    109



    I also want to know how the hell this guy was able to kill 30 more people before law enforcement took him out. 1 guy with a couple pistols vs a SWAT team with all sorts of assault rifles? It took them that long, and they're not even the ones who took him out? I think there are a lot of questions here that need to be answered....
     
  17. #37
    Mark

    Mark Canadian Beauty LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2002
    Messages:
    24,864
    Likes Received:
    463



    I believe he chained the doors at Norris hall, where the second set of shootings occured.

    Police had to blow up the doors with explosives to get inside.
     
  18. #38
    Tomi

    Tomi   LPA Addict

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2004
    Messages:
    16,514
    Likes Received:
    51



    Well, at least he was smart, I'll give him that, but damn.
     
  19. #39
    Arhaz

    Arhaz ...waiting. LPA Super Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2004
    Messages:
    4,068
    Likes Received:
    27



    how could they have allowed the university to continue even after the first shooting? that was just plain stupid.
     
  20. #40
    Andrea

    Andrea best friends. LPA Addicted VIP

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2002
    Messages:
    34,338
    Likes Received:
    332



    Ugh, I just want to hug you. Seriously. I feel the same way as everyone in this thread and even though I don't live in VA, it's just so difficult to go on with every day life. I can't imagine how you must feel. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and to everyone that has been affected by this tragedy.
     

Share This Page