Winchester Star (Newspaper) - April 17, 2007, Winchester, Virginia The Winchester Star April 17, 2007 111th YEAR No. 243 VIRGINIA 22601 The wounded are carried out of Virginia Tech's Norris Hall after a gunman opened fire on Monday killing 31 people inside the including Two hours two students were shot to death in a dormitory across the ALAN Associated Press Violence at Virginia Tech 33 killed in deadliest shooting spree in U.S. history Gunman takes own life after deadly rampage By IAN SHAPIRA and TOM JACK MAN c 2007 The Washington Post An outburst of gunfire at a Virginia Tech followed two hours later by a ruthless rampage at a classroom killed 32 faculty and staff and injured about 30 others Monday in the deadliest shooting attack in the nation's The whose name was not released Monday carried two 9mm semiautomatic handguns and wore blue a blue jacket and a vest that carried additional law enforcement officials and witnesses Witnesses described the shooter as a young man of Asian descent - a silent killer who was calm and showed no expression as he pursued and shot his He killed himself as police closed in. He had left two dead at the dormitory and 30 more at a science and engineering where he executed people taking and teaching classes and even shot at a who was helping a Witnesses described scenes of chaos and with students jumping from windows to escape gunfire and others blocking their doors to keep the gunman Even before anyone knew who the gunman was or why he did what he the campus community in Southwest Virginia began questioning whether See Page A6 MATT Associated Press Virginia Tech students watch from the doorway of McBryde Hall on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg as police infiltrate the area where two shooting incidents took place on Monday killing 33 and injuring University officials under fire for handling of incident By HANK KURZ Jr. Associated Press Writer BLACKSBURG - On a university campus of 2,600 with more than 26,000 ironclad security is not a practical Even tough questions swiftly surfaced as to how effectively Virginia Tech authorities responded to Monday's horrific Why were campus police so sure the threat was a contained in one when most of the killings occurred two hours later in a classroom Why were they interviewing a of off campus in regard to the first shootings at the very time the classroom killings were Why was there a lag of more than two hours after the first shootings before an alarm was - around the time the more deadly burst of carnage And more some security experts was the school's crisis planning and emergency com- QUOTABLE 99 I was troubled with the fact that two hours elapsed from the first I just feel they were a little slow on their - Brant Martel Virginia Tech junior system up to the something went terribly Bombarded with security questions at afternoon and evening news Virginia Tech President Charles See Page A6 Students recount 2 hours of terror By SHARON COHEN AP National Writer The first crackle of gunfire shattered the Monday morning It was 7:15 a.m. on the campus of Virginia Tech and an epic killing spree had just Snow was swirling on the windy April day and classes had not yet started when a murderous rampage that would shake the nation started in a coed West Ambler home to 895 The first reports of trouble were but small in no hint of the massacre about to unfold in the Blue Ridge mountains of One person was another The official word to students apparently did not come right In a mass Virginia Tech officials announced a shooting had occurred at the police were on the scene and urged anyone in the university community to and report suspicious The e-mail was signed off at 9:26 a.m. Police would later say they thought the two had been shot in a domestic They thought the gunman had fled the secured the we secured the crime Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum For a long there were no new reports of anything Classes on the Blacksburg campus See Page A6 Area residents react to tragedy By DREW HOUFF The Winchester Star WINCHESTER - The news from Blacksburg brought concern and The shootings that killed at 33 people and the gunman on the Virginia Tech campus saddened family and area residents on The Rev. James pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran said a service of solidarity with prayers for comfort and peace will be held at noon today in the Braddock Street United Methodist is just a response to the calls we are he want to just express their and their love for parents who have their children We all feel so badly for these parents whose have children who were killed or Utt said many community residents have connections to Virginia Tech - they were students they know families with students at the they follow the university's athletic and academic have numerous alumni who are members of my and I have family who are he are terribly upset about We want to just offer help and prayers of hope and Utt said the service is for any person of any denomination who wants to Two graduates of area high schools and Virginia Tech said they were deeply affected by the news on Jill Norris a 1990 graduate of James See Page A2 but still very special By BOBBY FORD The Winchester Star spent a day in my life as a student at Virginia Tech. But it's a place I consider most Explaining that to someone isn't Explaining why I know more about the history and the happenings of a school I didn't compared to the one I spent four years at will often bring a quizzical stare in But that place has been a part of me from my first My favorite color was maroon of with a hint of burnt and a turkey was my favorite And every college was supposed to like 1 tell people I was born a my dad went to school there - studied engineering and mathematics either in or around Norris the academic building where most of the 33 people were killed Monday He and my shared their first home So a portal to my one I've treasured and share with my The moment the number of the dead skyrocketed from one to 20, my heart See Page A2 TODAY'S Paying tribute to the volunteers Winchester Medical Center recognized the efforts of a valuable asset to the health its On six people who give their time were honored as National Volunteer Week Full story Bl Security blanket A local chapter of Project Linus begins supplying blankets to children in crisis or Full story Dl Something in the air Locally owned Mid Atlantic Network is in sale Full story B5 COMING WEDNESDAY The fate of this year's Historic Long Branch Hot Air Balloon Festival may be determined today when the Clarke County Board of Supervisors addresses Four 24 Pages Bulletin Classified Dear TODAY'S FORECAST Mostly cloudy and Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph 53 wittl 2usts up t0 40 HIGH Full report A6 33 LOW Miss your Call 665-4946 from 7 to 11 a.m. See us on the 0608566000375
