She heard the shots: Virginia Tech

[rateyes]

A girl my daughters grew up with is a junior at Virginia Tech. I also have a nephew there who is an RA in the dorm next to West A-J, where the first shooting took place. My nephew was informed of the first shooting. From what I understand from talking to his mother (my sister-in-law), the authorities believed that the shooter was the ex-boyfriend of the young woman who was shot with the guy at the dorm, and that he had left the campus...fleeing to another state.

Classes were still going to go on as usual. My daughter's friend (her name is Ashley) was on her way in...heard nothing on the radio on the way in, etc. She got on campus (she lives in an apartment off-campus) and upon arriving saw the row of ambulances out in front of the building she was headed to for her first class (right next to Norris Hall where the second shootings took place.)

So, shootings had already taken place when she arrived on campus...but, the shooter was still inside, alive. When Ashley saw the ambulances, she called her mother (across state) to ask if she had heard anything on the news about anything on campus, because of all of the ambulances and police presence. Her mother told her about the reports, and told her to turn around and go home. Ashley said, "Mom, it will take me 20 minutes just to get out of the parking lot." SHE WAS ALLOWED TO COME AND PARK IN THE PARKING LOT BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS...(the one where her class was and the one where the shooter was..she did not know that the shooter was in the building she was walking by--maybe she thought it was all over..the ambulances were there..who knows?). She called a classmate of hers that was in the same class she was going to, in order to find out if he knew anything. He told her, "Ashley, I'm in our classroom looking out the window and see you...RUN!! At that moment, she heard shots from the building the shooter was in (same ones that you heard on the video phone footage, if you've seen it). Being closer to the building her class was in than to her car, she ran for the building, and was locked in until it she was given the all clear.

In another post, I told you that Ashley found out that a sorority sister of her's was shot in the back and was in surgery. At this moment, we don't know yet if she is still alive.

Meanwhile, my nephew didn't have class until 10:00am, so he was still in his dorm when the lock-down order came because of the second shooting. He's an RA, and as of now, there is one engineering student on his hall that has not checked in, and is unaccounted for. He also knew the male (who was also an RA) in the dorm next to his that was killed.

This is a mess.

[JuniperLea]

1. Unacceptable!!

Completely unacceptable! Sounds like someone was too busy reading My Pet Goat to get off their ass and secure the campus!

[rateyes]

3. Campus police aren't trained for this kind of stuff,

I guess. But, it seems people would keep others outside out of harm's way. I mean, the shooter could have shot out the window at other students that were also going to class, having parked in the lot.

I can't figure it.

[AZBlue]

13. I saw a photo today from campus that made me wonder similar things.

It showed 8 or so students, all pressed up against a glass door, looking out but not being allowed to go out the door. Why were they allowed to stand right next to a full-glass door?? They're not much safer there than outside!

I also saw early news footage of police running all over campus, guns drawn, looking for the shooter, while crowds of students stood not 10 feet from them. WTF???

[rateyes]

15. I hope the university where my daughter attends,

and where my wife teaches will take heed and do some extra training. I'm going to find out one way or the other, and if they don't, I'll be talking with the President.

[Arugula Latte]

2. What a horrific, surreal day.

It's strange enough to watch this on TV, but I don't know anybody involved like you do. I'm glad your daughter's friend and your nephew were not in the line of fire. My gawd, what is going on in this country ... :cry:

[rateyes]

8. My wife teaches at a university here in GA,

and my oldest daughter goes there (junior). My next oldest will start there next year...one more to go in a few years. It's scary enough not having them at home to have to think of this stuff.

But, you can't live your life in fear. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. Live every day like it's your last, because it might just be!

:cry:

[malaise]

4. I feel it for your nephew, his friend and

their peers. What a frightening experience.

[rateyes]

14. Thanks. nt

[malaise]

22. You're welcome

Two of our three grad students were on local radio this evening - was ncie hearing from them. They didn't have early classes and read their email and stayed off campus. No Caribbean students were shot.

What a mess.

[etherealtruth]

5. This is so terrible for everyone involved ...

I don't even know what to say. In retrospect they (the powers that be and the police) made some poor decisions.

They are human and I am inclined to believe that their lack of competence may have to do with lack of experience with any serious crime ... though, what schools have experience with this.

[rateyes]

12. I can't do too much criticizing...

I mean, the last time something this bad happened on a university campus was a long time ago, and knowing that university police aren't equipped like a lot of departments...

but, still, one would think that the area would have been cordoned off so that others would not be put in danger.

Guess we'll wait and see what the whole story is.

[Tin Man]

20. I gotta believe it's incredibly difficult to rehearse, much less anticipate, such an event

Let's face it - as humans beings, we're pretty poor at responding to alien or unfamiliar situations. Yes , the authorities made some poor decisions - but it really doesn't surprise me, because that's just how we humans are. It takes practice, training, to recognize the correct way to respond to specific situations.

And on that note, the only way to properly train for such an event(s) is to actually rehearse it, over and over again - and I'm not sure how practical that would be at a facility the size and 'open-ness' of Virginia Tech.

Along these lines, some years ago I worked at an Air Force base that would regularly (weekly) train their security details to respond to on-base threats and hostage situations. Each training exercise involved:
(a) securing the base entrances for the duration of the event - this was a total PIA if you were stuck in your car at one of the entrance gates for 30 minutes while the 'situation' was resolved.
(b) the base security detail responding to the scene of the 'incident', and securing the building in a rigorous sweep of the entire facility. Fairly unnerving to have guys leapfrogging down hallways and rooms with weapons drawn (though unloaded) as they pursued an imaginary threat.

I'm just not sure if we're ready to bring these type of military measures to our everyday life in order to prevent some crazy man bent on destruction.

[Glimmer of Hope]

6. Wow. What in the world went on there?

My thoughts and prayers are with Ashley's sorority sister.

[rateyes]

9. I know other kids there from my 15 years in VA...

at this point, all I know personally are accounted for. It's hard for me though to say "Thank God" because not everybody is so fortunate, and how do you say, "God looked out for mine, but didn't look out for yours?"

Hard for me to process things right now. Still trying to get my head wrapped around it.

[rateyes]

11. I don't know...

but we need answers.

[eleny]

7. Recommended

[rateyes]

19. Thanks. nt

[eleny]

21. You're welcome

I'm so sorry that your family had to go through today so personally. More people ought to see your accounting. :grouphug:

[Kajsa]

10. This is horrible!

Could the second shooting spree have been prevented?

It's starting to look like it.

I'm glad your nephew and daughter's friend are OK.
They should have allowed NO ONE in that parking lot!!

[rateyes]

18. I'm not sure that they know for sure if the shootings

are related. There's still a "person of interest" in the first shooting. Who knows if others were involved and helped out? I hope these kids can sleep well soon. Finals are coming up very soon. Life goes on, and has to.

[wellstone dem]

16. My brother is a security guard at a small rural campus

I've always been impressed at how seriously he takes his job. He always maintains confidentiality, he has worked on some difficult case, and does not take safety for granted. I am thinking about him today. I see his job much differently after today.

[rateyes]

17. He does important work, for sure!

Our children's safety is in his hands. :hi:

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. Ya'll know that the Dean of Virginia Tech might as well start writing his

resignation letter.

And every other Dean across America better install a siren on their campus that can be heard from end to end, so that people can be warned that they're in eminent danger.

[rateyes]

24. I don't think the Dean should resign...

It's not his/her fault this happened. It was a crazed killer's fault. I simply want people to learn from this, so that when it happens again that there will be even better response. I don't fault VA TECH. I will, though, if lessons aren't learned and better measures put in place.

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. I don't think that's how it's going to play out.

The parents of the dead students will have a big say in this matter. And it's going to play over and over again how the school had two hours to warn the students, and, at least, close off the parking lots.

And there is absolutely no excuse, none at all, for a school not to have a plan already in place in lieu of 9/11.

This is far from over.

[rateyes]

29. Yeah, but it sounds like that witness statements

from the first shooting made it sound like the shooter there was known, and that he had fled town. A lot of second guessing is going to go on, and I'm sure you are correct...it's not over.

[Dorian Gray]

25. How incredibly frightening for young Ashley

My heart goes out to her and everyone who suffered through this today.

[rateyes]

26. I'm still freaked out by it. nt

[GenDem]

27. Thoughts and prayers are with all of them tonight

and through the coming days.

So glad that your nephew and your daughter's friend, Ashley is safe.

[rateyes]

30. Physically OK...

I hope that they can cope emotionally. They're strong kids...but, this is unreal. And, thanks for the prayers. :hi:

[GenDem]

31. I know how emotional I've been all day

I can't imagine what these poor kids and their families are going through. My heart goes out to all of them. Healing thoughts for you, too, rateyes. :hug:

[proud patriot]

32. Sending strength to the faculty , students and

their friends and families .

I'm in shock