Several things about the reports of this are troubling:
If they knew there was only one shooter, why would they not say that the shootings at the dorm and the classroom were related?
If the shootings occurred between 7 and 8 this morning, why were there no reports of it in the news until 4 to 5 hours later?
And finally, MSNBC had a commentator who said that semi-automatic weapons were illegal in Virginia, and yet possessing all the components necessary to convert a firearm to semi-automatic *are* legal. This country needs gun laws that make sense...

Gunlaws won't change or prevent events like this. If they allowed concealed weapons on campus, there would have been less people dead today.

Evenutally, I believe we'll find out that this is a single jihad of some "asian".

They might. Conversion kits are readily available at gun shows. It's interesting that there are "drug paraphernalia" laws that prevent sale of stuff like bongs and yet these conversions are wide open.
And I doubt this was jihad. This guy was probably just deranged to begin with or depressed about something in his life and decided to take it out on everybody.

blackcat77:

There are a few things about your comment that is troubling:

1st- why are you getting "news" from MSNBC? That piece of crap station is worthless.
2nd- why are you concerned whether the breathless reporters are getting their first reports exactly right? Remember Katrina - after the the Hurricane hit landfall, all the reporters reported that ALL IS WELL! And who care is a few hours has passed since the shooting. Don't you think it takes time to get on scene and collect some information (difficult when everything is in lockdown) before they report.
3rd your comments about gun laws that "make sense" assumes that murderers are following the gun laws which of course has never been the case. Gun laws have absolutly no impact on these sort of things.

A person who is prepared to murder 20 plus people, is not going to be fearful of the consequences of being charged with violation of gun laws.

bc ..? Do have trouble finding drug paraphernalia? Bongs and the like are readily available at any smoke shop. Especially in Virginia.

Anyway, someone's setting up another cot in hell for this bastard.

All,

Guns are *already* outlawed at VTech. What are we going to do? Outlaw them again? Double secret probation?

This is a TRAGEDY, no matter what. Let\'s not let the opportunists on the gun-control side of the fence turn it into their advantage, though.

http://www.snappedshot.com/archives/779-FATAL-SHOOTINGS-at-Virginia-Tech!.html

Regards,
Brian

Don't feel too sorry for the victims. They were probably all white, rich and priviledged.

Something very wrong, when people are killed in a horrible thing like this, and for almost an hour no-one includes prayers for the families of the victims, but instead a tired old political feud is rekindled.

My prayers go up for the families of all the victims, and for the first responders who had to deal with the scene. May the Lord be kind and swift to send solace and hear their cries.

"yet possessing all the components necessary to convert a firearm to semi-automatic *are* legal_BLACKCAT77"

An automatic seer is just a single piece of metal drilled to intercept the trigger action and keep it in a middle position past "fire".
Instead of the trigger action finishing on "squeeze", it must be released to return forward.
It's just a toggle that anyone with a file and a drill press could make.

DJ, you're right. Thanks.

"The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed..."

Don't you worry your pretty little heads, gun owners...

You're right, "Terry." We're only making the killing worse! Americans out of occupied Virginia Tech now!

/sarcasm

Let's pray for everyone affected by this senseless act of murder. May God's grace and peace be a comfort to them all.

It's hard to believe that people are already using this to promote their pet political agendas.

God bless everyone involved in this horrible nightmare!

I trackbacked from Blue Star Chronicles, but the trackback isn't working.

http://bluestarchronicles.com/2007/04/16/multiple-fatalities-in-virginia-tech-university-shootings/

It's hard to believe that people are already using this to promote their pet political agendas.

Quite unfortunately, no it's not hard to believe.

My condolensces to all those affected.

Is that Terry Moron or Moran? What's wrong with you? It doesn't matter if these students were rich, privileged and white. They are all someone's child, brother, sister, etc., Their loss is a monumental tragedy that will affect their families for all time.
Gun laws wouldn't have saved these students. It is the outlaws who do not adhere to the standards of the law that cause the problems. And, outlaws will always find a way to have their illegal guns.
My heart goes out to and my prayers are with these student's families and everyone affiliated with Virginia Tech.

I believe Mr.(or Miss) Moran was being sarcastic.

Fox 5 DC is reporting 32 deaths, including the gunman, and the VaTech news website reports there were bomb threats on Friday at various halls on campus. However, only there are only cached reports available:
http://209.85.165.104/u/virginiatech?q=cache:r4tBSJZ-0OwJ:www.vtnews.vt.edu/story.php%3Frelyear%3D2007%26itemno%3D244+bomb&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&ie=UTF-8

Thank You DJ

M Smith, you're missing an inside joke. Search (on the left tool bar) for Terry Moran. (or moron)

Bill to carry concealed handguns on Virginia college campuses dies in subcommittee.

The worst part:

A bill that would have given college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus died with nary a shot being fired in the General Assembly.

House Bill 1572 didn't get through the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety. It died Monday in the subcommittee stage, the first of several hurdles bills must overcome before becoming laws.

...

Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."

If the students were allowed to carry guns, they could fire back instead of being slaughtered.

This is horrible.

Guns and typical college students? Oil and water. The only people who participate in all the 'peace' marches are old radicals and young college students.

It's secularism, not gun control, that's at the root.

For those who choose to respect the law, Virginia Tech is a "gun-free" zone. House Bill 1572 was an effort to change that, but it unfortunately failed. Had the bill passed, todays events may have met with different results. Now we'll never know.

The MSNBC interview with one of the victims (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=67f_1176750363)...

Interesting that the guy described him as an asian male in his 20's in a maroon hat and black leather jacket. the graphic after that says "Suspect in his 20's in a maroon hat and black leather jacket." why do they drop the rest of the description?

Sometimes being PC crosses over from ridiculous to completely stupid.

Can you imagine if that 2nd description was the only one allowed to be circulated to the cops?

If the students were allowed to carry guns, they could fire back instead of being slaughtered.

What utter bullshit. Some college kid with a gun and very little experience trying to be a hero amidst all the confusion and running and shouting and whatnot is going to save the day? Please.

Some dumbass college kids waving a gun trying to kill the badguy would
1- get shot himself by the gunman
2- shoot someone else by mistake, adrenaline overflowing and poor split second judgement calls are made or
3- get shot by the cops or a sniper in the distance mistaken for being the gunman

As awful as a situation like this is, adding to the mix some 19 year old kid who watched too many episodes of '24' who thinks he is a marksman ain't gonna help one bit

Yeah, some think its better to be shot at like fish in a barrel, than to consider the possibility of self defense, by whatever means necessary.

No, today's events would have been exactly the same if that gun law passed. The element of surprise and the confusion generated by the gunman would have caused the same reaction.

Whose to say there aren't already some kids at VT packing? Maybe they were scared shitless too and ran like hell. If you heard all this chaos going on early in the morning as you woke up in the dorms, would acting like dirty harry be your first instinct, or would running like hell be your first instinct?

I'm sure most people here think they are real tough and mighty, and of course they'd say, I'd shoot the badguy like Jack Bauer, hooray!!

But in reality, these situations happen very fast and there is little time to prepare for something like this, unless you have police/military training.

Plus, the cops would tell you to get the hell out of their way if they saw some junior rambo trying to play hero. They hate that shit.

At least 30

"Don't feel too sorry for the victims. They were probably all white, rich and priviledged."

I have no idea who you are Terry...but for you to post something like this speaks volumes.

Anything..you ever post here..will be linked to this..
Living in Denver...Columbine..and last Fall's shooting in Baily Co(where my wife and I knew the victim and others in that classroom)

....I can only pray that your child or friend is never killed like this...and then you read someone..making a freakin' joke about it...

..just think...these young people..and the financial sacrifices made by their parents..
are living the dream of higher education..

If the moderators of this board to not join in condemnation of your post..or Scrap etc..don't join in in condeming you..
I will be disappointed...

Once again, I would remind the room that real people have died. In some cases, their own families have not yet been told.

The bickering about politics is pretty damned stone-hearted just about now.

Gianni, a.p.p., hermie, BarneyRubble, W.J.G., Vagabond, SAHMmy, VagaBond, Duncan, jp2, blackcat77, BillyBob, scotty, yo, I am caling you all out right here. Grow up and deal with the humanity of this event.

Innocent people died today. That is what this is about, and where your head and heart should be.

It occurs to me that gun control arguments
are very much like the arguments for
the French Maginot line in WWI. The problem
is that once the line is breached, then there
is no defense. Right-to-carry arguments are
more in line with a defense-in-depth approach.

If the students were allowed to carry guns, they could fire back instead of being slaughtered.

What utter bullshit. Some college kid with a gun and very little experience trying to be a hero amidst all the confusion and running and shouting and whatnot is going to save the day? Please.

classic ignorance. gun owners know how to operate their weapon.

the bottom line is there would have been fewer dead.