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Virginia Campus Shooting

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At least 31 people are dead and several others wounded after a gunman opened fire at a Virginia college on Monday in what is being described as the worst campus shooting in U.S. history, according to government officials.

 

The suspected gunman was among the dead at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, a town with a population of 39,573, campus police Chief W.R. Flinchum told a news conference at noon.

 

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," university president Charles Steger said. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."

 

There were two separate shootings about two hours apart at opposite ends of the campus of 26,000 students. The first took place at about 7:15 a.m. ET at West Ambler Johnston dormitory, a co-ed residence housing more than 800 students, and the second about two hours later at an engineering building, Norris Hall.

 

"Students were literally jumping out of second-storey windows to get away from the classroom. It appears that was the classroom where most of the shootings took place, at that second site," Bowman said.

 

"It was really terrible. There were cops holding guns, shooting all over," Albarghouti said. "You can't imagine how sad everyone here is."

 

 

Perino also said the president believes Americans have a right to bear arms but all laws must be followed.

 

It's suspected that the gunman had listened to Slayer just before he committed the horrendous act.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not really, did you actually believe that bullshit about slayer? This is crazy that this happened today though... thoughts?

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Hyphnip

Hyphnip

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I remember when Columbine happened and the media shut down EVERYTHING to focus on the story.

I was listening to the radio literally from 7am - 3pm and not once did I hear a mention of this. I think it's kind of fucked up that things like this have become such commonplace that it's not as big of a deal as it used to be.

Also, let me be the first to say that it is not Slayers fault, this should not be blamed on music or video games. This is the fault of the shooter and no one else.

 

Also: why the hell wasn't campus put on lockdown after the first shooting? there was almost 2 hours in between the shootings, that is plenty of time to lock things down.

Edited by Hyphnip
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bishopx

bishopx

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This began as a crime of passion, that escalated. Yes it was an Asian male, but I can't see how this would lead to a racism issue. He was an equal opportunity shooter...he shot people of color as well as whites.

 

What it should lead to, is stiffer gun control laws, and a more stringent policy on non-citizens purchasing weapons. It should also lead to better campus security policies.

 

Tim, you asked the right question. After the first shooting the whole campus should have been locked down, the commuter students should have been turned away at the entrances, and the on campus students should have been locked down in the dorms, and the law enforcement agencies in the area should have been tearing the campus apart to ensure that it was secure. The President of the school, the Chief of Campus Police, and the local Police commanding officers should be held accountable for these deaths. This wouldn't have gone beyond the initial two deaths, had this been handled properly.

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Sparq

Sparq

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I can't agree on the stiffer gun control bit. I've probably been over this before in older threads, so I won't argue the point much.

But put simply - most guns used in violent crimes are not legally owned anyway, and if even one person in the school had been carrying a gun for protection, the shooter may have been neutralised before he was able to do so much damage to the unarmed populace.

 

At any rate; Supercanuk (Erik) and I have discussed this sort of thing extensively a number of times since the Columbine shooting. You'll notice that the media tends to be hinting at things we can blame - music, movies, games - long before the world is even sure what happened. I don't know if it's sensationalism or what, but it's ridiculous and doesn't help matters.

Edited by Sparq
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Hyphnip

Hyphnip

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well that should have thrown up some red flags. reading those plays it's obvious the guy was disturbed. Truth be told, I read the first few pages of each and decided that it is probably best not to proceed. I don't think I want to know how they turned out

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borntohula

borntohula

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At any rate; Supercanuk (Erik) and I have discussed this sort of thing extensively a number of times since the Columbine shooting. You'll notice that the media tends to be hinting at things we can blame - music, movies, games - long before the world is even sure what happened. I don't know if it's sensationalism or what, but it's ridiculous and doesn't help matters.

its what the media does best.

 

its partly sensationalism, but it also has to do with the fact that they dont have much more of a clue about why someone does something than we do.

 

like when the dawson college shooting happened in the fall, they blamed it on goth culture, not the fact that the dude had a sucky life.

 

its funny how you wont ever see any media outlets labeling this shooting as terrorism, because the assailant wasnt brown or screaming things about a jihad, even though mindlessly killing 30 individuals sounds like terrorism to me.

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ecnarf

ecnarf

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I can't agree on the stiffer gun control bit. I've probably been over this before in older threads, so I won't argue the point much.

But put simply - most guns used in violent crimes are not legally owned anyway, and if even one person in the school had been carrying a gun for protection, the shooter may have been neutralised before he was able to do so much damage to the unarmed populace.

 

At any rate; Supercanuk (Erik) and I have discussed this sort of thing extensively a number of times since the Columbine shooting. You'll notice that the media tends to be hinting at things we can blame - music, movies, games - long before the world is even sure what happened. I don't know if it's sensationalism or what, but it's ridiculous and doesn't help matters.

If you've ever read America: The Book, and its breakdown of a 24 hours news station, you'll understand why they have to resort to such bullshit. They have absolutely nothing else to do, and the people who are on the air generally have larger mouths than brains. Time to fire up that middle-aged (or later) brain and start with the same old tired bullshit about how everything about today's world has gone to shit compared to x decades ago.

 

P.S. I never thought the CBC could go so low: http://www.slate.com/id/2164428/nav/tap1/

 

 

 

As the shooting at Virginia Tech unfolded yesterday, the media and the curious descended on MySpace and LiveJournal. The reporters were looking for scoops, the rest of us were rubbernecking. A few instant stars were uncovered, such as Bryce, a Virginia Tech student who wrote this entry in his journal on Monday at 2 p.m.:

Tears run as the death count climbs. Currently 32 are dead.

I cannot begin to describe the pain that runs through me now. The anger, loss, and the unknown.

The only thing I do know is that a list awaits. A list in which may include a friend or several. A list of passion, dreams, aspirations, of life and hope-- suddenly gone.

Time has suspended.

I look at Foxnew's website to see pictures of the dead being carried out of Norris hall. I feel removed, like this isn't happening here right now. It is on the news someplace far away, and I can just turn off the TV to make it go away.

My friends could be dead. Tears continue.

The first comment to the post reads:

Hi This is Falice Chin from CBC Newsworld. We are looking for witnesses right now for live phone interviews. Please call me 403-521-6038 ASAP THANKS!

 

Assuming that comment is real, I hope that piece of shit loses her job. Holy fuck.

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supercanuk

supercanuk

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Goddamnit. They do this every time. It was Doom and Quake for the Columbine bit. GTA3 has been blamed for countless things...bah.

It's bollocks.

I'm with Sparq (Colin) and the whole gun control thing. If you look at what is used in crimes its usually stolen or the cheapest most accessible guns, so banning guns that "look scary" (literally one of the criteron for these decisions) isn't going to help. Deeper, social and psychological matters are to be addressed before gun control is, because ultimately, it really isn't gun's that kill people, people kill people and for reasons of insanity, and seemingly logical reasons as well.

One might stress and thinking there is ANY logical reasons to kill someone but i'd suggest there are a few. I think if your being attacked by an assailant with a gun, you have the right to defend yourself. Ultimately it's this killer killing you, or you killing or at least shooting the person who is attempting to kill you.

Clearly the responses to this will be "well just ban guns entirely" but that just means you'll create a black market of gun runners (more then already in existance) and only the illegal owners and police will have them. Not a situation i'd like to find myself.

These abberrations are of course horrendous and i am not justifying or legitamateing them, but a blanket ban on guns will not solve our social/psychological ills.

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Moonlight_Graham

Moonlight_Graham

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It's bollocks.

I'm with Sparq (Colin) and the whole gun control thing. If you look at what is used in crimes its usually stolen or the cheapest most accessible guns, so banning guns that "look scary" (literally one of the criteron for these decisions) isn't going to help. Deeper, social and psychological matters are to be addressed before gun control is, because ultimately,

Edited by Moonlight_Graham
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