<p>“GUNS kill people. The total number of deaths in India with a population three times the size, from all terrorist acts, bombing of trains, in the conflict in Kashmir, from guerrilla groups, is less than 1/5th that of gun-related deaths in the U.S., in a population that is even more diverse, and with more social conflict than we have here. There is one significant difference - gun ownership.”</p>
<p>It may be surprising, but if you were to leave a gun on a table for 50 years, nothing would happen. People kill people, a gun is by far the quickest avenue to do so, but people kill people.</p>
<p>Do you seriously believe that gun laws banning them would have saved these people? Gun laws only stop law-abiding citizens from owning guns, period. There is no way this individual would have been stopped by laws, he basically commited 62 class a felonies without a single emotion. Do you think banning guns stops people hell bent on killing? Either this man was trained very well or he was carrying a load meant to cause lethality, like a hollow point or a ballistic tip. </p>
<p>Give me a break, the liberal crowd again, no offense.</p>
<p>I am watching the press conference on Fox right now, why do people constantly ask questions that they have said five times that they will not or cannot answer?</p>
<p>What a horrible and tragic event. I just cannot even begin to imagine how parents of any VT students felt when they heard this news today. So, so very sad.</p>
<p>I am so totally disgusted with much of the press and how this entire incident has been reported throughout the day. My heart goes out to not only the families of these victims, but also the entire VT community. The manner in which the reporters are questioning this poor VT Police Chief makes me irate. IMO, what happened today is something that not even the best emergency plan could have avoided. It’s a tragedy plain and simple.</p>
<p>Case in point: Some reporter just accused the Police Chief and VT President of being “dispassionate.” Hello. Don’t you think they have been through most likely the most difficult ordeal of their entire professional career?</p>
<p>y2kplaya92, if the gun’s on the table, something terrible CAN happen with it, whether through a horrible accident or someone malicious/insane picking it up. If the gun’s not so easily available, it’s not so easy for such things to happen.</p>
<p>Can we stop mad people from doing mad things? Not always. But we can make it less likely that the next mad thing that happens is even worse than this worst mass killing in US history. Controlling guns isn’t the entire solution, but it sure the heck is part of it.</p>
<p>Today is the time for mourning and condolences. Tomorrow is the time to figure out how to prevent the next one.</p>
<p>You need to either live in or visit SW Virginia and Blacksburg to understand the kind of place where this atrocity happened. You would be shocked to realize that such a thing could happen here.</p>
<p>marlin, I am so sorry. I do understand a little of what you must be going through, to have such an awful thing happen someplace you care about. Take care.</p>
<p>I would so agree with you peariceparent. My heart goes out to the parents and friends of the students killed and injured…How dare any one at this point be so critical of the local campus police and city police…my gosh, think about what they have been through as well. It is not fair to judge yet, or maybe for a while…the facts are not known…May the lord watch over them all…Students, Parents, law enforcement…faculty</p>
<p>My prayers to the families of all of the victims. No one can really understand how you must feel at this moment. Life will never be the same. God bless you. The President of Va Tech should step down, they made a decision based on what information they had so they claim…and they were entirely wrong…in this day and age entire airports, thousands of people, are evacuated and rescreened if a single person slips through security…look what happened in Boston when those electronic signs were found a city of millions was closed for a day…to not have warned the students of the danger is unforgivable…there was a shooting there just months ago and bomb threats this past week…I have been to the campus and the students are wonderful and the area beautiful</p>
<p>From the reports on the national news tonite - it seems they were working one crime scene - at the dorm shooting - thought they may have had a suspect who had fled the building - no gun found at the scene - so not a suicide/murder - the dorm was locked down and they were searching when the second shooting started - that sounds alot more reasonable to me.</p>
<p>The one question that was not really addressed was the chaining of the doors at the engineering building - the shooter must have been there for a little while to do that - must have been done during a class…</p>
<p>If this started as an argument at the dorm - as was reported - with the shooter shooting several people there - including his ex-g/f - and the ra - maybe he was looking for someone in particular… these are all things that have been mentioned on news stations. Some answers will be found - but some may never be known.</p>
<p>KENT - when 2 of the students that were witness to the shooting - one was actually shot in the arm - they described the shooter as caucasian…</p>
<p>WINDY…The President of Va Tech should step down, they made a decision based on what information they had so they claim…and they were entirely wrong…</p>
<p>Let them investigate - and fact find - before pointing any fingers - save this for another day</p>
<p>I was watching the news, and the students were informed via email to stay indoors because the suspect was still at large, though this was 2 hours after the first incident. I don’t lay the blame on the staff though, because you can’t cause unnecessary panic by sending messages to students before you’ve thoroughly explored the first incident.</p>
<p>JeepMOM… this is still an active campus that must now find a way to go on…his decision was the worst kind of incompetence and lead to the worst possible outcome…if some one murdered 2 students and you do not know where that person is… you warn people… they are acting in the place of parents and had a solemn duty to protect these kids… they are also highly paid professionals …how can the parents and students have any kind of faith in this man…</p>
<p>WINDY I completely understand - I would still rather wait to hear the facts - instead of all the speculation that is running around - before taking any steps that you are suggesting - that’s all.</p>