■ 04 December 2009 | 11:30 AM
Disturbing details on Virginia Tech
It's been two years and nearly eight months since a deranged and violent Virginia Tech student went on a shooting spree that ended in death for 32 students and teachers.
By now the families of the victims - and the public - should have a complete picture of what happened that awful day in Blacksburg and the events that led up to it.
Unfortunately, they don't.
Details about the actions - and inactions - by university administrators and police continue to dribble out. And this drip, drip, drip of information is troubling.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the state is now issuing an "Addendum" to the official account of the massacre at Virginia Tech.
Sadly, some of the newly uncovered facts raise even more questions.They've caused some survivors to insist that a cover-up is at work.
Virginia deserves an unblinking look at the events of April 16, 2007. The whole story.
Not to point fingers at unprepared or blundering school officials, but to prevent another tragedy of this magnitude elsewhere.
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Mental Health Negligence
When will we realize that mentally ill folks need to be identified, treated, and often commited? They not only go out and kill and maim people, mentally ill patients turned loose on the street are responsible for the resurgence of resistant strains of TB. Mentally ill mothers, who are often crack addicts, roam the streets and find convicted felons (between prison sentences) to father their children, children who all too often end up as crack mothers or violent, felonious fathers. Meanwhile, when budget items are on the table, mental health treatment, and commitment, is the first to go. And Virginia is in last place in the USA and the USA is near the last place worldwide in providing mental health services.
adaquate coverage
In regards to my comment about coverage. I did a typo. Should read that the Campus did NOT have adequate cctv coverage. Read the link below to see how the School should have been protected.
http://www.videosurveillance.com/campus.asp
Security Cameras Not a Deterrant
Security cameras might provide a false sense of security for the naive and that's about it. Cameras are not going to stop a shooter, only help to identify one. They are not going to summons help automatically. Pulling the nearest fire alarm switch would be a more effective deterrent as well as summons help faster. In this case the shooter wanted and in fact provided online information about himself. Security cameras are expensive, unreliable, extremely low resolution, have gaps in coverage, and would require intense monitoring by numerous guards on the payroll, and if they spot a shooter they can’t stop him. Even the Fort Hood guy managed to kill a lot of folks before two cops ON THE SCENE brought him down.
Virginia Tech
There's something rotten in Blacksburg and it's not the students.
Moderator
Moderator, please if you may, e-mail me as to why all my comments must be given your approval. I have not violated any rules and try to be as polite as possible. Are you doing this to all, are Have I been the exception?
You are now on autocomment
A few months back, our profanity filter went overboard and kicked dozens of people back to moderated status. This appears to be the case with you. I have set you account to autocomment status. Our apologies for the error. David M. Putney, PilotOnline.com producer
Lousy security
In this day and age with surveillance video, it was no excuse to have full security in all building. There are security companies out there that actually have full packages designed for Collage Campuses. This is yet another case where the school did not provide for the coverage they knew existed.
Phone Call
It takes about 15 seconds, 30 at most, to reach in your pocket, pull out the phone, press a speed dial button, and say, "There's been a shooting here but I'm okay." It can take quite a long time to set up a campus-wide email / text alert that in itself is going to be generally ineffective, and the kids in the area of the shooter were already taking cover. This type of priggish journalism is pointless. Virginia Tech is over and done with, Kerry, so let it go and quit trying to capitalize on it.
You Want My Opinion?
One has to wonder what would have happened that day if one or more of the students would have had a concealed weapons permit, had their weapon on them, and the Tech authorities had not prohibited their Second Amendment right to protect themselves. Va. Tech set them up like sheep for slaughter.
Photograph
I see a makeshift memorial in the photo. Is that legal? And what about that American flag on a flagpole?