‘Loner’ unleashed massacre

BLACKSBURG, Virginia – A student from South Korea was yesterday identified as the gunman who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech university in the deadliest shooting rampage in US history.

Police said the shooter was Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old senior who was a legal US resident, and that ballistics tests showed one gun had been used in both attacks on Monday at the sprawling rural campus. Cho killed himself at Virginia Tech after opening fire in four classrooms where in some cases he apparently chained doors to prevent victims from escaping, officials said.Two people were shot to death two hours earlier at a dormitory.”It’s certainly reasonable for us to assume that Cho was the shooter in both places,” said Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police.There was no official word on a motive for the attacks.But the Chicago Tribune quoted investigative sources as saying Cho, who was studying English literature, left behind an invective-filled note and had shown recent signs of aberrant behaviour.This included setting a fire in a dorm room and allegedly stalking some women.Cho was known as a loner.Victims were found in at least four classrooms as well as a stairwell, Flaherty said.”The gunman was discovered among several of the victims in one of the classrooms,” he said.”He had taken his own life.”Cho was a South Korean citizen who had lived in the United States since 1992, said US immigration spokesman Chris Bentley.He and his family lived in Centreville, Virginia.A note believed to have been written by Cho was found in his dorm room that railed against “rich kids”, “debauchery” and “deceitful charlatans” on campus, the Chicago Tribune said.The shooting spree renewed heated debate over gun control in the United States, where more than 30 000 people die from gunshot wounds every year and there are more guns in private hands than in any other country.Even as condolences poured in from world leaders, foreign politicians and media commentators railed against America’s “gun culture”.In Italy, the leftist Il Manifesto newspaper said the shooting was “as American as apple pie”.STRICKEN CAMPUS At Virginia Tech, 12 students remained hospitalised in stable condition yesterday, officials said.Some students were hurt jumping from windows in a desperate attempt to flee the gunfire.The campus, where there are more than 25 000 full-time students, reeled with shock and grief.”I don’t even know if any of my friends were killed, because it was so hard to get in touch with anyone last night,” said Brittany Jones, a 19-year-old Tech student from Urbanna, Virginia.”Even if they weren’t, it wouldn’t make it any less sad.You don’t expect this to happen at your school.We’re just kids,” she said early yesterday as she watched members of the university’s military corps drill before class.Some of the uniformed cadets were crying and hugging one another on the drill field, which was to host a candlelight vigil last night in memory of the shooting victims.Television images of terrified students and police dragging out bloody victims revived memories of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado.”There were leg, arm, head, face (injuries), the more critical ones actually had head or facial shots.There were chest shots, leg shots, arm shots.He was just shooting to kill,” said Dr Joseph Cacioppo, an emergency room physician who treated the wounded.Nampa-ReutersCho killed himself at Virginia Tech after opening fire in four classrooms where in some cases he apparently chained doors to prevent victims from escaping, officials said.Two people were shot to death two hours earlier at a dormitory.”It’s certainly reasonable for us to assume that Cho was the shooter in both places,” said Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police.There was no official word on a motive for the attacks.But the Chicago Tribune quoted investigative sources as saying Cho, who was studying English literature, left behind an invective-filled note and had shown recent signs of aberrant behaviour. This included setting a fire in a dorm room and allegedly stalking some women.Cho was known as a loner.Victims were found in at least four classrooms as well as a stairwell, Flaherty said.”The gunman was discovered among several of the victims in one of the classrooms,” he said.”He had taken his own life.”Cho was a South Korean citizen who had lived in the United States since 1992, said US immigration spokesman Chris Bentley.He and his family lived in Centreville, Virginia.A note believed to have been written by Cho was found in his dorm room that railed against “rich kids”, “debauchery” and “deceitful charlatans” on campus, the Chicago Tribune said.The shooting spree renewed heated debate over gun control in the United States, where more than 30 000 people die from gunshot wounds every year and there are more guns in private hands than in any other country.Even as condolences poured in from world leaders, foreign politicians and media commentators railed against America’s “gun culture”.In Italy, the leftist Il Manifesto newspaper said the shooting was “as American as apple pie”.STRICKEN CAMPUS At Virginia Tech, 12 students remained hospitalised in stable condition yesterday, officials said.Some students were hurt jumping from windows in a desperate attempt to flee the gunfire.The campus, where there are more than 25 000 full-time students, reeled with shock and grief.”I don’t even know if any of my friends were killed, because it was so hard to get in touch with anyone last night,” said Brittany Jones, a 19-year-old Tech student from Urbanna, Virginia.”Even if they weren’t, it wouldn’t make it any less sad.You don’t expect this to happen at your school.We’re just kids,” she said early yesterday as she watched members of the university’s military corps drill before class.Some of the uniformed cadets were crying and hugging one another on the drill field, which was to host a candlelight vigil last night in memory of the shooting victims.Television images of terrified students and police dragging out bloody victims revived memories of the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado.”There were leg, arm, head, face (injuries), the more critical ones actually had head or facial shots.There were chest shots, leg shots, arm shots.He was just shooting to kill,” said Dr Joseph Cacioppo, an emergency room physician who treated the wounded.Nampa-Reuters