Update! More than 20 dead in Virginia Tech shootings

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

According to the time line below, there have been at least one School shooting almost every year since 1997. Shouldn't this be a wake up call to the powers that be?

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4371403.stm

April 2007: A gunman shoots dead at least 20 people at the campus of Virginia Tech university in Virginia.

October 2006: A 32-year-old gunman shoots dead at least five girls at an Amish school in Pennsylvania, before killing himself

September 2006: Gunman in Colorado shoots and fatally wounds a teenage schoolgirl, then kills himself; two days later a teenager kills the headteacher of a school in Cazenovia, Wisconsin

November 2005: Student in Tennessee shoots dead an assistant principal and wounds two other administrators

March 2005: Minnesota schoolboy kills nine, then shoots himself

May 2004: Four people injured in shooting at a school in Maryland

April 2003: Teenager shoots dead head-teacher at a Pennsylvania school, then kills himself

March 2001: Pupil opens fire at a school in California, killing two students

February 2000: Six-year-old girl shot dead by classmate in Michigan

November 1999: Thirteen-year-old girl shot dead by a classmate in New Mexico

May 1999: Student injures six pupils in shoot-out in Georgia

April 1999: Two teenagers shoot dead 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine School in Colorado

June 1998: Two adults hurt in shooting by teenage student at high school in Virginia

May 1998: Fifteen-year-old boy shoots himself in the head after taking a girl hostage

May 1998: Fifteen-year-old shoots dead two students in school cafeteria in Oregon

April 1998: Fourteen-year-old shoots dead a teacher and wounds two students in Pennsylvania

March 1998: Two boys, 11 and 13, kill four girls and a teacher in Arkansas

December 1997: Fourteen-year-old boy kills three students in Kentucky

October 1997: Sixteen-year-old boy stabs mother, then shoots dead two students at school in Mississippi, injuring several others

Yes, perhaps it's time to allow teachers to carry concealed weapons, so they can stop massacres like this.

And while we're at it, street gangs should be treated as organized crime, and all gang members disarmed.

Allow people to protect themselves!!

[CarolineM 0]

can you link to the 38 dead headline? I can't find that anywhere? I'm reallllly hoping it's just 20

[Heracles 417]

When I say locked up at home I mean when kids are around or in the house.

I think most guns owners have a false sense of security by owning a gun. I own a gun myself. One of the first things I did after moving to the US. All I needed was a check and drivers license to buy it.. Can anyone sit here and seriously tell me that being able to buy a hand gun, with such ease, is not a freakin joke..

You didn't have a background check and waiting period?

No waiting period. I did have a brief background check but really what is that going to show, as I had only been in the US for a few months..

[almaty 19]

this is so sad..and so terribly wrong

[Heracles 417]

Certain key people in every school / campus should be permitted to carry firearms. Otherwise in situations like this, no one has a chance.

What I can now see happening is more kids will be carrying weapons on campus to protect themselves..

Edited April 16, 2007 by Infidel

[Otto 83]

Lets see what the deal is with this shooter..

I think I may to turn democrat as guns are disgracefully easy to access and carry around. I am all for allowing someone mentally stable and with no other criminal offenses to own a gun; with the condition that it is left at home and locked up, period! The only people who should be allowed to carry a gun anywhere else is law enforcement officers.

What a waste of lives.

So, if someone is threatening my life and I'm not home, or I'm home but can't get to my gun because it is locked up (and therefore useless for self-defense), and the police are too far away, then that's just my tough luck, too bad for me??

When I say locked up at home I mean when kids are around or in the house.

I think most guns owners have a false sense of security by owning a gun. I own a gun myself. One of the first things I did after moving to the US. All I needed was a check and drivers license to buy it.. Can anyone sit here and seriously tell me that being able to buy a hand gun, with such ease, is not a freakin joke..

Similarly...:

Only need a driver's license and a (bigger) check to go out and buy a car, then get drunk and kill someone...

[Scott & Lai 12]

Yes, perhaps it's time to allow teachers to carry concealed weapons, so they can stop massacres like this.

And while we're at it, street gangs should be treated as organized crime, and all gang members disarmed.

Allow people to protect themselves!!

Absolutely But members of organized crime should not be allowed the tools for committing murder.

[Heracles 417]

Similarly...:

Only need a driver's license and a (bigger) check to go out and buy a car, then get drunk and kill someone...

A car's sole purpose is not a weapon.

[isleta521 5]

Unbelievable and so terribly sad

[homesick_american 1]

According to the time line below, there have been at least one School shooting almost every year since 1997. Shouldn't this be a wake up call to the powers that be?

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4371403.stm

April 2007: A gunman shoots dead at least 20 people at the campus of Virginia Tech university in Virginia.

October 2006: A 32-year-old gunman shoots dead at least five girls at an Amish school in Pennsylvania, before killing himself

September 2006: Gunman in Colorado shoots and fatally wounds a teenage schoolgirl, then kills himself; two days later a teenager kills the headteacher of a school in Cazenovia, Wisconsin

November 2005: Student in Tennessee shoots dead an assistant principal and wounds two other administrators

March 2005: Minnesota schoolboy kills nine, then shoots himself

May 2004: Four people injured in shooting at a school in Maryland

April 2003: Teenager shoots dead head-teacher at a Pennsylvania school, then kills himself

March 2001: Pupil opens fire at a school in California, killing two students

February 2000: Six-year-old girl shot dead by classmate in Michigan

November 1999: Thirteen-year-old girl shot dead by a classmate in New Mexico

May 1999: Student injures six pupils in shoot-out in Georgia

April 1999: Two teenagers shoot dead 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine School in Colorado

June 1998: Two adults hurt in shooting by teenage student at high school in Virginia

May 1998: Fifteen-year-old boy shoots himself in the head after taking a girl hostage

May 1998: Fifteen-year-old shoots dead two students in school cafeteria in Oregon

April 1998: Fourteen-year-old shoots dead a teacher and wounds two students in Pennsylvania

March 1998: Two boys, 11 and 13, kill four girls and a teacher in Arkansas

December 1997: Fourteen-year-old boy kills three students in Kentucky

October 1997: Sixteen-year-old boy stabs mother, then shoots dead two students at school in Mississippi, injuring several others

Don't forget what happened at the University of Texas at Austin (my alma mater) in 1966. If you know where to look, you can still find damage from that shooting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Whitman

Sympathies to the victims and their families...this is just horrible. :cry: :cry:

[Kathryn41 3,205]

at 2:20 Eastern time the most recent headline is at least 21 slain and an additional 21 injured. This is so sad - and what a waste. My sympathies to the families and all of those affected.

Edited April 16, 2007 by Kathryn41

[derekkj 0]

can you link to the 38 dead headline? I can't find that anywhere? I'm reallllly hoping it's just 20

Washington Post is currently reporting 32 dead.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

[JODO 2]

This is just terrible and sickening.

Virginia shooting in pictures:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6561313.stm

Edited April 16, 2007 by JODO

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Regardless of anyone's stance on gun control I wonder if it strikes anyone else as somewhat tasteless to politicise a "just broken" news story about a mass murder.

[Alex+R 0]

Regardless of anyone's stance on gun control I wonder if it strikes anyone else as somewhat tasteless to politicise a "just broken" news story about a mass murder.

YES! Thank you.