Another High School Shooting in the US

[SPK-250]

32 dead and 15 injured at a University!! :

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21570639-2,00.html

[Falcon_Phill]

Stupid ******* Americans. They wont change gun laws either. If theyre stupid enough to not combat it then they can live with it.

[GXL078]

Apparently this was really badly handled. They have MORE security at their high schools than their universities. We always thought such a high toll wouldn't happen in America because someone else would shoot the shooter first.

[HOON69]

33 dead 15 injured one dead shooter 2 dead at shooting No1 the rest at shooting No2
rumours of 2 shooters
ppl are blaming the campus for not locking down the place after shooting No1
loads of filmage on varius news websites even you tube etc

even pics of stupidity making light humour of a sad tragedy
(wont post them as i know they'll get deleted anyways)


worst massacre of this form in US history makes columbine looks small compared to this..

[HOON69]

god bless amendment No2
right to carry arms

will take a hundred students to die or worst before the U.S of A-holes(goverment) to act on this.

should be a law that any weapon in or near a school/university etc is prohibited unless you are police,security etc

how many more need to die before change is made?

[GXL078]

Originally Posted by HOON69

god bless amendment No2
right to carry arms

will take a hundred students to die or worst before the U.S of A-holes(goverment) to act on this.

should be a law that any weapon in or near a school/university etc is prohibited unless you are police,security etc

how many more need to die before change is made?

They can prohibit what they like but it won't stop a determined nutter.
Will they make a movie about this?

[HOON69]

Originally Posted by xcgxl

They can prohibit what they like but it won't stop a determined nutter.
Will they make a movie about this?

without a doubt
america loves to make movies about such tragedies
all in the name of making $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

it'll never stop the slaying but something needs to be done.(i doubt it will though)

[EF, What else?]

Just last night I was doing an assignment for uni regarding political lobbying, the National Rifle Association in the US the most powerful lobby group to washington, beating some signifigant business and labour groups. Money talks, but hopefully, the Washington legislators will respond to this. Though, removing the 2nd amendment won't make to much difference in my opinion. If you want to really go shoot someone, you'll find a gun no matter what, you've just got to make it as difficult as possible.

[HOON69]

BLACKSBURG, Virginia (CNN) -- At least 33 people, including a gunman, were killed Monday during shootings in a dorm and a classroom building at Virginia Tech, university officials said.

Two people were killed at a dormitory about 7:15 a.m., while another 30 people were killed about two hours later at Norris Hall -- the engineering science and mechanics building -- university officials said.

University police Chief Wendell Flinchum said police were still investigating whether the two incidents are related. Investigators are not ruling out a second shooter, Flinchum said. (Watch the police chief explain where bodies were found Video)

The death toll at Norris Hall makes the incident the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

The gunman at Norris Hall, who police say took his own life, was not carrying identification and has not been identified.

Freshman Erin Sheehan told the university newspaper she was in German class at Norris when the gunman peeked in twice "like he was looking for someone" and then started shooting.

The students tried to blockade the door, but the shooter -- dressed in "a Boy Scout-type outfit" -- made it inside.

"I saw bullets hit people's body," Sheehan told The Collegiate Times. "There was blood everywhere. People in the class were passed out -- I don't know maybe from shock from the pain. But I was one of only four that made it out of that classroom." (Watch students react to shooting Video)

The remaining students, about 20 of them, were dead or injured, she told the newspaper.

"Norris Hall is a tragic and a sorrowful crime scene, and we are in the process of identifying victims," university President Charles Steger said.

Gov. Timothy Kaine, who was reportedly rushing home from a series of business-recruitment meetings in Tokyo, Japan, declared a state of emergency.

Asked why the campus, which has more than 26,000 students, was not shut down after the first shooting, Flinchum responded that police determined "it was an isolated event to that building and the decision was made not to cancel classes at that time." (Watch gunfire on the campus Video)

Steger added, "We had some reason to believe the shooter had left campus."

Spokespersons for hospitals in Roanoke, Christiansburg, Blacksburg and Salem told CNN they were treating a total of 29 injured people from the shootings.

Sharon Honaker with Carilion New River Medical Center in Christiansburg said one of the four gunshot victims being treated there was in critical condition.

Scott Hill, a spokesman for Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg, where 17 wounded students were taken, said he wasn't expecting any more victims.

The first reported shootings occurred at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dormitory that houses 895 students. The dormitory, one of the largest residence halls on the 2,600-acre campus, is located near the drill field and stadium. (Campus map)

Amie Steele, editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, said one of her reporters at the dormitory reported "mass chaos."

The reporter said there were "lots of students running around, going crazy, and the police officers were trying to settle everyone down and keep everything under control," according to Steele. (Watch police, ambulances hustle to the scene Video)

Kristyn Heiser said she was in class about 9:30 a.m. when she and her classmates saw about six gun-wielding police officers run by a window, apparently responding to the Norris Hall shooting.

"We were like, 'What's going on?' Because this definitely is a quaint town where stuff doesn't really happen. It's pretty boring here," said Heiser during a phone interview as she sat on her classroom floor.

Another student, Tiffany Otey, said she and her classmates thought the gunshots were construction noise until they heard screaming and police officers with bulletproof vests and machine guns entered her classroom.

"They were telling us to put our hands above our head and if we didn't cooperate and put our hands above our heads they would shoot," Otey said. "I guess they were afraid, like us -- like the shooter was going to be among one of us."
Student reports 'mayhem'

Student Matt Waldron said he did not hear the gunshots because he was listening to music, but he heard police sirens and saw officers hiding behind trees with their guns drawn.

"They told us to get out of there so we ran across the drill field as quick as we could," he said.

Waldron described the scene on campus as "mayhem." (Watch a student's recording of police responding to loud bangs Video)

"It was kind of scary," he said. "These two kids I guess had panicked and jumped out of the top-story window and the one kid broke his ankle and the other girl was not in good shape just lying on the ground."

Madison Van Duyne said she and her classmates in a media writing class were on "lockdown" in their classroom. They were huddled in the middle of the classroom, writing stories about the shootings and posting them online.

The university is updating students through e-mails, and an Internet webcam is broadcasting live pictures of the campus.

The shootings came three days after a bomb threat Friday forced the cancellation of classes in three buildings, WDBJ in Roanoke reported. Also, the 100,000-square-foot Torgersen Hall was evacuated April 2 after police received a written bomb threat, The Roanoke Times reported.

Last August, the first day of classes was cut short by a manhunt for an escaped prisoner accused of killing a Blacksburg hospital security guard and a sheriff's deputy.

After the Monday shootings, students were instructed to stay indoors and away from windows, according to a university statement. (Watch a student describe living through a "college Columbine" Video)

The university has scheduled a convocation for 2 p.m. ET Tuesday. Classes also have been canceled Tuesday. In Washington, the House and Senate observed moments of silence for the victims and President Bush said the nation was "shocked and saddened" by news of the tragedy.

"Today, our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones," he said. "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."

Before Monday, the deadliest mass shooting occurred in 1991, when George Hennard drove a pickup truck into a Killeen, Texas, cafeteria and then fatally shot 23 people, before shooting himself.

The deadliest school shootings came in 1966 and 1999. In the former, Charles Joseph Whitman, a 25-year-old ex-Marine, killed 13 people on the University of Texas campus. He was killed by police.

In 1999, 17-year-old Dylan Klebold and 18-year-old Eric Harris -- armed with guns and pipe bombs -- killed 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

Sources : http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/16/vte...ing/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6560685.stm

[xalent]

Very, very sad. Makes me think its about time the Americans sortyed out some of their own problems instead of worrying about everyone elses.

[XRated]

What a tragedy. I don't understand why people are drawn to do this.

Originally Posted by EF, What else?

Just last night I was doing an assignment for uni regarding political lobbying, the National Rifle Association in the US the most powerful lobby group to washington, beating some signifigant business and labour groups. Money talks, but hopefully, the Washington legislators will respond to this. Though, removing the 2nd amendment won't make to much difference in my opinion. If you want to really go shoot someone, you'll find a gun no matter what, you've just got to make it as difficult as possible.

Yeah I agree. The Australian government had enough trouble getting back firearms; so how would you expect a country like the USA who has 10 times our population to start a system to confiscate particular firearms? There's also a much bigger following/association with rifles and guns compared to most other countries. It's a huge problem, with no simple answer. Are a couple of high-school/university shootings enough to enforce such a dramatic procedure?

[Quasi]

Originally Posted by xalent

Very, very sad. Makes me think its about time the Americans sortyed out some of their own problems instead of worrying about everyone elses.

That's long overdue.

[NAK302]

gawd,here we go. everyone jumps on the guns must be outlawed band wagon. how about instead of wasting time and energy lobbying something that will never happen, get to the root cause of why this sort of ***** happens.

i'm still paying for that w a n k e r, Bryant with my taxes and do people still get shot?

[pb02]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

gawd,here we go. everyone jumps on the guns must be outlawed band wagon. how about instead of wasting time and energy lobbying something that will never happen, get to the root cause of why this sort of ***** happens.

Having lived in the US I can tell you it's a huge problem and something needs to be done. To give you an example, I was at a house of a friend of a friend and needed to use the bathroom. Had to walk through the laundry to get there, in the laundry he had an Uzi and AK-47 lying on the bench. Whether they were loaded or not I don't know, but who the hell needs to keep something like that around the house????
He had full permits for the two and licenses so everything was legal. The owners name was Skip, nice guy but a bit of a redneck and had all sorts of financial and relationship problems. Makes you feel safe huh???

[XR6TCraig]

I frequent a motorbike forum that is US based and it is quite strange to see the reaction that they have to this. Very different to the one I am reading here.

Instead seeing the ready availability of guns as a problem they see things in a different way. There arguement is that if there were more guns then this type of thing wouldn't be a problem because someone would have shot the gunman.

In other words more guns not less will stop this thing from happening!

How do you argue with logic like that! out:

[Falcon_Phill]

Originally Posted by pb02

He had full permits for the two and licenses so everything was legal. The owners name was Skip, nice guy but a bit of a redneck and had all sorts of financial and relationship problems. Makes you feel safe huh???

I dont think leaving them lying around anywhere in the house loaded or unloaded is legal. Especially being full automatic weapons as you mentioned.

[NAK302]

Originally Posted by pb02

Having lived in the US I can tell you it's a huge problem and something needs to be done. To give you an example, I was at a house of a friend of a friend and needed to use the bathroom. Had to walk through the laundry to get there, in the laundry he had an Uzi and AK-47 lying on the bench. Whether they were loaded or not I don't know, but who the hell needs to keep something like that around the house????
He had full permits for the two and licenses so everything was legal. The owners name was Skip, nice guy but a bit of a redneck and had all sorts of financial and relationship problems. Makes you feel safe huh???

...............and my old man has a few licenced weapons in his home, has had financial and relationship problems in his life as well. what's your point?

[XR6TCraig]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

...............and my old man has a few licenced weapons in his home, has had financial and relationship problems in his life as well. what's your point?

Are they assault weapons like an AK capable of killing hundreds in minutes?

Explain the need for that type of gun in a civilized society ( other than to clear the food court in Canelands) if you would be so kind!

[pb02]

Originally Posted by Falcon_Phill

I dont think leaving them lying around anywhere in the house loaded or unloaded is legal. Especially being full automatic weapons as you mentioned.

I was referring to the ownership as being legal. Obviously having them out of the safe is illegal.

[Polyal]

Thats just sickening.

There are for and against arguments for guns, but at the end of the day its a sad place to be living where you feel the need to have a gun. Something that makes living in Oz so much better.

[pb02]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

...............and my old man has a few licenced weapons in his home, has had financial and relationship problems in his life as well. what's your point?

We do to up at the farm, the difference is ours are not fully automatic and they are suited to the job they are used for. But as Craiginmackay has said, who the hell needs fully automatic weapons in there house?

[charles_wif_xf]

Guns aren't the cause of the problem, it's the nut holding the gun (and thousands more like him that are on Prozac) that are the problem. I'll bet my left nut that the gunman was on Prozac (or its generic equivalent) for some condition or other.

Society needs to ease off the medication bandwagon as a solution to people's mental ills. Guns have been around for hundreds of years and it is only recently (as in post WW2) that these mass shootings have been occurring. Lately, doctors are only too eager to prescribe the flavor of the month medication. And that is so criminally negligent, it begs the question, where's the oversight? Where are the second, third opinions?

[NAK302]

Originally Posted by Craiginmackay

Are they assault weapons like an AK capable of killing hundreds in minutes?

Explain the need for that type of gun in a civilized society ( other than to clear the food court in Canelands) if you would be so kind!

granted they are not automatic weapons as dictated to us by a knee jerking government.
i don't understand the some people's logic whether it's ok to have single shot weapons or automatic. a person of non sound mind will still kill people with either weapon or for that matter any weapon. which brings me back to the original point. the gun (or type) is not the issue, the problems lie in why people in society are capable of doing this. this is what needs to be addressed before the old faithful "banning all guns" comes into play.

[NAK302]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Thats just sickening.

There are for and against arguments for guns, but at the end of the day its a sad place to be living where you feel the need to have a gun. Something that makes living in Oz so much better.

ever been pigging or roo shooting? it's a bit difficult without one don't you think?

[XR6TCraig]

Originally Posted by charles_wif_xf

Guns have been around for hundreds of years and it is only recently (as in post WW2) that these mass shootings have been occurring.

While you could have a point, it might be worth thinking about how much more efficient guns have become too.

Can we really say with 100% certainty that this type of thing wouldn't have hapened in past centuries if an automatic weapon like the AK-47 was available back then.

It is hard to commit a mass shooting like the one seen today with an old black powder single shot that takes 15-30 seconds to reload after all!

[Falcon_Phill]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

i don't understand the some people's logic whether it's ok to have single shot weapons or automatic.

You have a single shot pirate pistol. Ill have the ak47, youll soon understand. If someone wants to go on a rampage with the small gun, say they might kill 6 people before theyre overpowered because they have to reload or something. With an ak, you can put a 200 round drum on it and shoot for your life. I dont see how you dont understand that.

[charles_wif_xf]

Originally Posted by Craiginmackay

While you could have a point, it might be worth thinking about how much more efficient guns have become too.

Can we really say with 100% certainty that this type of thing wouldn't have hapened in past centuries if an automatic weapon like the AK-47 was available back then.

It is hard to commit a mass shooting like the one seen today with an old black powder single shot that takes 15-30 seconds to reload after all!

You have a point although, there were the infamous Tommy guns in the 30's and no mass shootings to speak of.

[XR6TCraig]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

granted they are not automatic weapons as dictated to us by a knee jerking government.
i don't understand the some people's logic whether it's ok to have single shot weapons or automatic. a person of non sound mind will still kill people with either weapon or for that matter any weapon.

Yeah your right, its not guns that kill people its people that kill people. But its a lot harder to mow down 30 odd people ( like we saw today) with a single shot lever action that holds 4 or 5 shells max.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

ever been pigging or roo shooting? it's a bit difficult without one don't you think?

Wow...and wouldn't that just be a tragedy if we couldn't go roo shooting...

I have nothing against sport shooting or hunting, but as said previously you dont need some crazy auto weapon to do that. I would have thought it would take more skill to use older styles of guns.

Either way, unless you do it as a sport or recreation there is no need to have a gun.

Anyway, its kinda getting off topic and I can see the bush gun lovers firing up (my right to have a gun..blah blah blah); excuse the pun.

[pb02]

Originally Posted by GT-0733

granted they are not automatic weapons as dictated to us by a knee jerking government.
i don't understand the some people's logic whether it's ok to have single shot weapons or automatic. a person of non sound mind will still kill people with either weapon or for that matter any weapon. which brings me back to the original point. the gun (or type) is not the issue, the problems lie in why people in society are capable of doing this. this is what needs to be addressed before the old faithful "banning all guns" comes into play.

I don't think banning guns is what anyone is saying. I think the type is and issue, as you would know a .22 can still do a lot of damage, but an AK-47 can do a whole lot more.

To me the solution is a combination of factors that need to be taken into account. The type of weapon and easy access are factors in the US, however, at the end of the day if someone wants to get there hands on something fully automatic they will find a way. And, to me, this is where the issue of the capability of people in society being able to do this. I think Charles_wif_xf makes a very good point as to some of the reasons why.