vatechchick's Xanga

Monday, April 16, 2007

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 14:40:47 GMT

This is where I graduated from: VA Tech. I lived at Ambler Johnson West-

BLACKSBURG, Va. - A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing at least 30 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history, government officials told The Associated Press. The gunman was killed, bringing to death toll to 31, but it was unclear if he was shot by police or took his own life.

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," said Virginia Tech president Charles Steger. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."

The name of the gunman was not immediately released, and investigators offered no motive for the attack. It was not immediately known if the gunman was a student.

FBI spokesman Richard Kolko in Washington said there was no immediate evidence to suggest it was a terrorist attack, "but all avenues will be explored."

The shootings spread panic and confusion on campus, with witnesses reporting students jumping out the windows of a classroom building to escape the gunfire. SWAT team members with helmets, flak jackets and assault rifles swarmed over the campus. Students and faculty members carried out some of the wounded themselves, without waiting for ambulances to arrive.

The bloodbath took place at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormitory that houses 895 people, and continuing at least two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building about a half-mile away, authorities said.

Police said they were still investigating the shooting at the dorm when they got word of gunfire at the classroom building.

After the first shots were fired, students were warned to stay indoors and away from the windows. But some students said they thought the precautions had been lifted by the time the second burst of gunfire was heard, and some bitterly questioned why the gunman was able to strike a second time, two hours after the bloodshed began.

Some of the dead were students. One student was killed in the dorm, and the others were killed in the classroom, Virginia Tech Police Chief W.R. Flinchum.

Up until Monday, the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history was a rampage that took place in 1966 at the University of Texas at Austin, where Charles Whitman climbed the clock tower and opened fire with a rifle from the 28th-floor observation deck. He killed 16 people before he was shot to death by police.

The massacre Monday took place almost eight years to the day after the Columbine High bloodbath near Littleton, Colo. On April 20, 1999, two teenagers killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives.

The deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history was in Killeen, Texas, in 1991, when George Hennard drove his pickup into a Luby's Cafeteria and shot 23 people to death, then himself.

Founded in 1872, Virginia Tech is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, about 160 miles west of Richmond. With more than 25,000 full-time students, it has the state's largest full-time student population. The school is best known for its engineering school and its powerhouse Hokies football team.

The rampage took place on a brisk spring day, with snow flurries swirling around the campus, which is centered around the Drill Field, a grassy field where military cadets — who now represent a fraction of the student body — once practiced. The dorm and the classroom building are on opposites sides of the Drill Field.

A gasp could be heard at a campus news conference when the police chief said at least 20 people had been killed. Previously, only one person was thought to have been killed.

Investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began marking and recovering the large number of shell casings and will trace the weapon used, authorities said.

A White House spokesman said President Bush was horrified by the rampage and offered his prayers to the victims and the people of Virginia.

"The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed," spokeswoman Dana Perino said

After the shootings, all entrances to the campus were closed, and classes were canceled through Tuesday. The university set up a meeting place for families to reunite with their children. It also made counselors available and planned an assembly for Tuesday at the basketball arena.

After the shooting began, students were told to stay inside away from the windows.

Aimee Kanode, a freshman from Martinsville, said the shooting happened on the fourth floor of West Ambler Johnston dormitory, one floor above her room. Kanode's resident assistant knocked on her door about 8 a.m. to notify students to stay put.

"They had us under lockdown," Kanode said. "They temporarily lifted the lockdown, the gunman shot again."

"We're all locked in our dorms surfing the Internet trying to figure out what's going on," Kanode said.

Maurice Hiller, 21, a mechanical engineering student from Richmond, saw police and SWAT team members with guns drawn going toward Norris Hall. "This is something just totally beyond anybody's expectations," he said.

Police said there had been bomb threats on campus over the past two weeks by authorities but said they have not determined a link to the shootings.

It was second time in less than a year that the campus was closed because of a shooting.

Last August, the opening day of classes was canceled and the campus closed when an escaped jail inmate allegedly killed a hospital guard off campus and fled to the Tech area. A sheriff's deputy involved in the manhunt was killed on a trail just off campus. The accused gunman, William Morva, faces capital murder charges.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 16:52:56 GMT

Long Time, No See

Okay, so it's been a while since I posted. Sorry. I've been so busy with school and the wedding. But I will be finished with school in two weeks. I can't wait. I can watch tv again. So it might me another two weeks before you guys hear from me again, but once I'm out of school, I'll post more often.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:08:08 GMT

I'm getting married!!!!!

George asked me to marry him on Dec. 15th!

Friday, November 24, 2006

Fri, 24 Nov 2006 18:35:05 GMT

1st mile

Today, I ran my first mile in about two months. I feel great about it. I'm actually excited about running tomorrow. I know, I'm lame. But at least I'm getting my motivation back!

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:35:27 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!!

So an update of my late entry. I went to my doctor and he diagnosed me with migraine induced vertigo. I've been taken a new prescription that seems to be helping. I also got the okay to exercise again. I stopped exercising because I was afraid that I would get dizzy during a run and wipe out on the treadmill. Or worst, run outside, get dizzy and have no one with me to help me! Now my problem is, I haven't exercised in so long that I lost my motivation. I need to do something, and fast!

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 09:46:15 GMT

I was supposed to run an 8K today... but I woke up feeling dizzy. I'm still not fully recovered from my vertigo episode that I had late September. I'm going to see a specialist on Thursday. Hopefully the specialist would have already received my results from the MRI and dizziness test. I'm getting pretty tired of feeling this way.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Sat, 04 Nov 2006 16:18:14 GMT

In a few minutes, I have a conference call with one of my professors regarding my business plan. I'm kindda nervous. I'm afraid he's going to say that it sucked and I need to start all over again. No, I don't plan on opening a business, but I need to prove I know how to write a business plan before I can graduate from the MBA program. Since I mentioned grad school... I only have ten weekend classes left!!! I still don't graduate until May, but technically my last class is in April. I can't wait. I will be able to watch television again. I think for Xmas, I'm going to ask for all the new tv shows on DVD. Such as House and ...I don't know, because I haven't watched tv in like two years. Any suggestions anyone?

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 17:39:08 GMT

Happy Halloween!!!!

I will post updates later.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:56:58 GMT

To Study or Not To Study:

On Sunday, I decided to stop studying and go with George to Busch Gardens. Here are a few picture:

George at the painfull dentistry.

Me at the painfull dentistry.

George and a parrot. George think's he's bad ass.

A big wolf. It scared me.

The American Bald Eagle... God Bless America.

I can so kick this wolf's @ss.

This gives meaning to "hung like a horse."

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 12:38:19 GMT

Today I ran the Mark Wilson 5K. Wilson was a Navy Seal that lost is life serving in 1995. He left behind a wife and a son. The run itself is a scholarship fund raiser for Virginia Military Institute (VMI). It was kind of chilly, but sunny. In the end, I jogged all three miles and finished faster that I anticipated. I didn't break any records, but I feel I still accomplished my personal goal. Pictures to come.