Virginia Tech

[volyund]

Worst U.S. shooting ever kills 33 on Va. campus

What amazes me is not even the University's slow response (2 shot dead, suspect on the run, not gonna interfere with classes, right?), but that this happened as police was (or should have been) present on campus, investigating the previous murder.

I am a university student as well, and so I know the

Comments

[asophia]

There’s some bullshit legal summarizing happening on that site. I wouldn’t put too much faith into it, especially since it’s not in any way an unbiased source. I find it especially bad sign that the only working link goes straight to the dissenting opinion.

FYI, Castle Rock v. Gonzalez was case a ruling on an interpretation of a state due process law. All it said was that individual protection does not fall under the due process doctrine. It doesn’t say cops don’t have to protect citizens.

And I find it disgusting that after all the policemen who died on 9/11, and those who risked their lives at VT that people would still think otherwise.

Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

[volyund]

Most of the rescuers who died on 9/11 were firefighters (to my knowledge). And they indeed are heroes. They are the ones who though not obliged will jump into the fire to save a person. I am not saying that police do not try to prevent crimes, or that they do not risk their lives to protect people. I am just saying, it doesn't happen that often.

To the police's defense, they were on the scene in 3 minutes and it took them 5 minutes to get through chained doors into the building. I can see how that can be hard, but there should have been something that could have been done to speed up the process. Didn't anybody there have magnums, shotguns, or rifles to shoot and break the chains? Why didn't they make an announcement in the building in those 5 minutes for the students to run to a different floor, barricade doors (something some did anyway), even jump out of the windows! You can break your legs, but at least you wouldn't be shot in the head.

[anonymous]

I do believe it was 32 dead and 1 survivor. Number 33 was UK born so he's been all over the news here. He only escaped being finished off when he pretended to be dead after being shot 3 times.

I was watching the videos made by the killer and I was horrified! I want to hate him, but there was obviously something really wrong with him, rather than just killing for kicks.

I feel sorry for all the families involved, including the killer's. Definately got to applaud the statement from his sister. And my greatest respect to the families of victims who were gracious enough to accept her statement. Many would have simply burnt down the killer's family home...

But what I'm still trying to understand is why there were still students in the school after the first killings. The guy disappeared for 2 hours to make videos and take pictures. So why wasn't the school cleared as soon as the first shots were fired.

[ledav]

I must say that the gun issue is just a side issue in this particular case. The main issue is the sincere belief in the US that nothing bad can happen to you (the individual). That's the reason that no alarm was raised after the first shootings. You see it when a random murder happens just as you saw it in this case. "Oh that happened to someone else not me I'll be safe, nothing bad can ever happen to me." Unfortunately this belief lasts until it is you or a family member or a close friend who gets hurt.

In response to the comment about the Police not being legally bound to provide protection to an individual, Yes it sucks to think that they may not rescue you but they are bound to keep the majority of people safe. If it comes to a choice of one person or twenty people being saved they are legally (and possibly morally) bound to save the greater amount of lives.

[volyund]

It would make sense if police indeed were faced with a choice of majority vs. minority, but it wasn't such a choice. It was whether to go in do something and maybe get hurt or wait for the orders, and let the guy fire 170 shots in those 9 minutes of shooting spree. (http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/358626,CST-NWS-shoot26.article)