Campus Shootings At Virginia Tech

As I'm sure most of you are aware, there was a shooting rampage on the campus of Virginia Tech which occurred earlier this Monday morning. A tremendous thirty-three people have been reported killed, including the gunman (whom shot himself in the face shortly after the massacre) himself. Fifteen other victims are being treated for various injurious.

According to msnbc.com, "The rampage began about 7:15 a.m. ET at West Ambler Johnston, a coeducational residence hall that houses 895 people. The gunman, armed with a 9-mm pistol and a .22-caliber handgun, killed a man and a woman there before making his way to Norris Hall, an engineering classroom building about a half-mile away on the opposite end of the 2,600-acre campus."

At Norris Hall, thirty-two victims were killed. Upon arriving at the scene, Police were met by a chained front entrace; the gunman chained the doors shut to prevent anyone from coming in or out of the building. After forcing their way in, the wounded and killed victims were found.

"The first e-mail warning to students and employees did not go out to students, faculty and staff until 9:26 a.m., more than two hours after the shooting at the dormitory, according to the time stamps on copies obtained by NBC News. By then, the classroom shooting was under way. The message warned students to be cautious but did not warn them not to go to class."

Today's events struck a personal cord with me. When I first heard of the news, I myself was in class in a large lecture hall like those who were slain. To think that something like this could happen, and at such massive proportions, is almost unbelieveable and has instilled a sense of vulnerability within myself and I'm sure several other college campus students across the nation. I can't help but feel that the deaths of those thirty-one students at Norris Hall could have been prevented had the students and staff been made aware of the earlier shooting at the dormitory. Crisises such as gun shootings, especially if a gunman is still at large, should be taken very seriously at (as should have been the case at this University). If I had it my way, classes would have been dismissed for the day, and people evacuated at the slight chance of more danger for the students, faculty and staff. Unfortunately, such was not the case and students were instructed to only be "cautious".

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Side note:

The same article mentions that at a planned, "convocation for Tuesday at the Cassell Coliseum basketball arena, (which) White House officials said President Bush was considering attending."

Instead of considering, I think that Bush should just go. This event has been exposed from every corner of the nation by the media, and has made everyone feel a little less safe about their own safety or the safety of their children on their school campuses. His prescence may give those affected by the shootings a sense of care, to only consider going does not say much.