Breaking News: 2 people shot and killed at Virginia Tech

[Unregistered]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16099552

Virginia Tech: Campus gunman has shot two dead

Virginia Tech, site of America's worst school shooting four years ago, says a police officer and another person have been shot dead on campus.

It said the gunfire began during a routine traffic stop on campus by a Virginia Tech police officer.

The Blacksburg campus is on lockdown with staff and students advised to stay indoors.

Police have swarmed the campus looking for the suspect, a white male, who escaped on foot.

Virginia Tech said on its website: "Shortly after noon today, a Virginia Tech police officer stopped a vehicle on campus during a routine traffic stop in the Coliseum parking lot near McComas Hall.

"During the traffic stop. the officer was shot and killed. There were witnesses to this shooting.

"Witnesses reported to police the shooter fled on foot heading toward the Cage, a parking lot near Duck Pond Drive. At that parking lot, a second person was found. That person is also deceased."

The suspect was said to be wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, a grey hat with neon green brim, maroon hoodie and backpack.

Harry White, 20, a junior physics major, told the Associated Press news agency in a phone interview that he had been getting some lunch on campus when he received the text message alert about the shooting.

He said he initially did not take it too seriously, remembering that the campus had been placed on lockdown in August amid a report of a gunman, that turned out to be a false alarm.

"I decided to just check to see how serious it was," he said. "I saw it was actually someone shooting someone, not something false, something that looks like a gun."

The shooting came on the same day as Virginia Tech appealed against a $55,000 (£35,200) fine imposed by the US Education Department for not reacting quickly enough to the April 2007 massacre.

Thirty-two people died when a 23-year-old South Korean, Seung-Hui Cho, went on a gun rampage before turning the weapon on himself.

The university, which has about 30,000 students, implemented a highly advanced security alert system after that gun rampage.

Let's hope they catch and arrest this guy very soon.

[JFlowers]

At the moment, it looks less like a "Campus" shooting than a criminal event that spilled onto campus. Traffic stop turned deadly with criminal fleeing across the campus. One would assume the second victim was a carjacking as the criminal searched for and took a getaway vehicle. Hopefully then fleeing off-campus.

Odd timing though considering VT just went to court this week about the fine imposed for their poor handling of the Cho incident.

"Gun rampage"?

[LPatterson]

Since it is a declared gun free environment, the second person is almost certain to be an innocent victim of a car jacking. Campus police were probably not trained about deadly traffic stops. Where was the backup if the person excaped on foot. Most traffic stops are done by 2 officers for this reason.

[Unregistered]

Lock down lifted; it appears that the yet-to-be identified male found dead may be the shooter. A firearm was recovered near the body.

Awaiting official word.

[whistlepig]

Since it is a declared gun free environment, the second person is almost certain to be an innocent victim of a car jacking. Campus police were probably not trained about deadly traffic stops. Where was the backup if the person excaped on foot. Most traffic stops are done by 2 officers for this reason.

Sadly, you might be surprised to learn that the vast majority of traffic stops (and really all Officer initiated contacts) are done by a single officer. An officer might request another unit, and most officers will start toward a fellow officer on a stop just to check on him, but for the most part it's just one officer. Some agencies still don't notify a dispatcher about a stop or contact. It can get lonely at times. Some agencies do roll 2 to a car, but agencies that cover the average community get the most bang for their taxpayer buck with single units.

A Moore County Deputy here in NC was murdered the same day by a guy wanted on child support warrants. The Deputy encountered them on a Trespassing call and checked to see if they were wanted. One was. When the deputy notified him of his arrest, he drew a hidden handgun and shot the Deputy. He then killed himself. The dynamics of the fight itself are open to guessing, the details haven't been released.

EDIT TO ADD: can't speak about VA, but in NC, campus police officers would be state certified and have the same BASIC education as all other Troopers, Deputies and City Officers. Now, the quality of on-going "in-service" training is dependant on the agency. There are state mandated training blocks every year. Some Departments are aggressive about it, some aren't.

Edited December 10, 2011 by whistlepig

[LPatterson]

/tin foil hat on

Police are reporting a person was acting strangely then disappeared from sight and a gun shot was heard. No one saw this person shoot himself, police have no released an information about GSR or where the wound was. This person is purported to have stolen a vehicle. Has it been located? I know police have to be careful about a rush to judgement but something smells.

//tin foil hat off