Updated:At Least 33 Dead in Va. Tech Shooting

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I agree on the cancelling classes bit.

But what are you going to do to ramp up security? Put armed guards everywhere? Attack dogs? Metal detectors with guards there to operate them?

How would you feel if your tuition went up $5000 a year because of new security measures? A lot of people can't afford college education as it is. Do you start jacking up the cost on everyone because one extremely tragic incident took place?

Unfortunately, that is what this world is coming to. There are already heightened security measures in high schools and elementary schools, it is only a matter of time that the same will happen in colleges.

[BigSKINBauer]

good to hear that you are fine big C.

What is scary is that it could have been anyone there. It was so random, just in a class. Anyone could have been in that class. I don't know many people at VT but there is one that is good friends with one of my good friends. I am pretty sure she was an engineer major. I'm about to call up my friend and ask up about her. Lets pray that the 31 numbers are wrong and the numbers go down a bit. This is absolutely horrible.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I agree on the cancelling classes bit.

But what are you going to do to ramp up security? Put armed guards everywhere? Attack dogs? Metal detectors with guards there to operate them?

How would you feel if your tuition went up $5000 a year because of new security measures? A lot of people can't afford college education as it is. Do you start jacking up the cost on everyone because one extremely tragic incident took place?

Those are some good questions. And I can't say I could give an honest answer that would solve everything. I think I'll reserve judgement until all the details come out.

@724: Well, if they had at least put the classes in session on lockdown then perhaps that would've saved some lives. That said, they might've put the classes on lockdown but I don't know at this moment. What i do know is that security measures do have to be stepped up, because if there were two seperate shootings two hours apart then something's wrong.

[BigSKINBauer]

The news is making it look really chaotic. How is the campus coping right now big C? I've heard people are just sitting in their dorms and not really going anywhere.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by mredskins

WE CAN"T MANAGE OUR LIVES AROUND THE 1%.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. And the 0.0000001% is probably more accurate.

It seems REALLY cold to say given that it JUST happened this morning, but this is a freak thing. The odds of you sitting in class minding your own beezewax and getting shot by someone who's gone off the deep end are infinitesimally small. The fact that this rampage JUST happened does not change those odds.

Your odds of hitting the powerball, of getting struck by lightning, or of getting attacked by dogs on your way to lunch are probably similar in size.

I wouldn't make any policy decisions. Over the coming days, emotions will run high and people will point fingers, but nobody will be able to agree on who is to blame for this. And that's because there is nobody to blame except the guy who did it, and he's already dead. It's an unfortunate reality, you can't be everywhere at all times to stop evil every time it rears it's ugly head.

Unless you want to hand over a huge portion of your paycheck for total security.

[firstdown]

This is sad and my heart goes out to all who's life has been changed from this tragic event.

[itvnetop]

Tragic news... glad to hear you're ok Big C... i hope everyone you know is ok too...

[jbcjr14]

Originally Posted by BigSKINBauer

good to hear that you are fine big C.

What is scary is that it could have been anyone there. It was so random, just in a class. Anyone could have been in that class. I don't know many people at VT but there is one that is good friends with one of my good friends. I am pretty sure she was an engineer major. I'm about to call up my friend and ask up about her. Lets pray that the 31 numbers are wrong and the numbers go down a bit. This is absolutely horrible.

26,000 enrolled students

[skinsguy]

Big C.

Did you know Ryan Clark? That is the first name they have released who passed away in the shootings this morning.

[djnemo65]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Wow. Big C, glad you're alright, man.

As for gun laws, this is a sticky one. You could loosen gun laws so that chances would increase that the public would have the wherewithal to stop a douchebag like this. But the tradeoff is an increase in accidental deaths due to more guns in the hands of the public.

You could tighten gun laws and make it impossible for a douchebag like this to obtain a gun in the first place. But we all know that if he really wanted a gun to do this, he'd buy it on the black market.

I don't think there's a policy answer for something like this. It just sucks, not really sure what you can do, unless you want to post an armed guard outside of every high school and college classroom in the country (which would cost way too much money).

I do agree with you though Big C, they should have cancelled classes for crying out loud. I've got no idea what administration was thinking, maybe they needed more time to process what happened; who knows. My first reaction would have been to cancel class though.

Yeah but stuff like this doesn't really seem to happen in countries with strict gun laws. Sure doesn't happen over here

[JWsleep]

Are there any other Warpathers at VT?

I am just stunned. No words.

[hooskins]

I heard on the news the shooter chained some of the doors and didnt let people out. He also shot himself in the face and therefore making it harder for authorities to identify him.

[Redskins_P]

Originally Posted by hooskins

I heard on the news the shooter chained some of the doors and didnt let people out. He also shot himself in the face and therefore making it harder for authorities to identify him.

Yeah I heard that too. He didn't carry ID and his fingerprints had no records. Theres another rumor saying he did all of this because his girlfriend had dumped him. Supposedly she was in the classroom he hit.

[Beemnseven]

For now, you should know that earlier this year the Virginia General Assembly failed to act on House Bill 1572. This bill would have allowed college students and employees to carry handguns on campus --- with appropriate permits, of course. It died in subcommittee. Larry Hincker, a spokesman for Virginia Tech, the site of today's carnage, said "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."

boortz.com: The world-famous Internet site of the Nationally Syndicated Neal Boortz Show!

[Big C]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

Big C.

Did you know Ryan Clark? That is the first name they have released who passed away in the shootings this morning.

first off thanks guys for the shout outs.

second, i actually did know him. we werent friends really but we were aquainted. he was my old resident advisor. very good guy with a good heart who had a great future ahead of him. apparently he was killed in the dorm trying to break up the argument. RIP

to whoever asked earlier, i can tell you almost certainly that the class did not start at 8 am and last until 930 or 945. on mondays and wednesdays, most classes are 50 minutes or 1 hr 15 minutes.

when they heard about the shooting at 7:15, it shouldnt have taken them over 2 hrs to send an email saying that someone was killed, and i expect there to be big changes at the top for this negligence and slow acting

and rob, i wasnt mad at you for bringing up your point, i am just mad at the whole situation.