Thursday, April 19, 2007

To remember and honor the victims of April 16, the university has established the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund to aid in the healing process and generate financial support.

Media notices

Next news conference Wednesday at 9 a.m. at Inn at Virginia Tech

News and notices

Last updated 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 17

The Virginia State Police have been coordinating the notification of the victims’ next-of-kin with local authorities around the country. At this time, all families have been tentatively notified. Read a complete investigation update

Streaming video of today's Convocation is now available at hokiesports.com.

Classes are canceled for the remainder of the week to allow students to mourn and begin healing. Campus will reopen Wednesday for administrative operations.

Norris Hall has been closed for the remainder of the semester.

The Virginia Tech Police Department has confirmed the identification of the gunman responsible for the multiple fatalities at Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus Monday. Ballistics match at both crime scenes.

Get further details in our special section >

Tragedy at Virginia Tech

This page is being updated regularly by University Relations. Please check back often for updates and additional information.

Important phone numbers

A toll-free information line has been established for parents and family: 1-800-533-1144.

Anyone who has information related to the incidents is encouraged to go to the Blacksburg Police Department to make a statement, or call 540/231-6411.

Investigation update

Posted 5:30 p.m., April 17, 2007

State, local, and federal law enforcement officials continue their round-the-clock investigation of the multiple fatal shootings that took place on the Virginia Tech campus the morning of Monday, April 16, 2007.

Within the past 24 hours, a search warrant was executed on the dorm room of Cho Seung-Hui, 23, in Harper Hall. Investigators are still determining the evidentiary value of papers and assorted items seized from the room.

Investigators have also been following up on leads related to the two weapons recovered at the scene in Norris Hall. The two weapons used in this incident were a 9-milimeter handgun and a 22-caliber handgun. Investigators have traced the weapons and confirmed that Cho did legally purchase them in accordance with Virginia law.

There is no evidence at this time to suggest that Cho left behind or distributed a suicide note.

The Virginia State Police have been coordinating the notification of the victims’ next-of-kin with local authorities around the country. At this time, all families have been tentatively notified.

The major thrust of the Medical Examiner’s Office today has been obtaining fingerprint records to identify the victims. These records must be obtained from local, state, federal, and international agencies. Staff at the Medical Examiner’s Office is working 12-hour shifts with staff resources from all over the state to expedite the scientific collection of evidence and positive identification of the deceased. This process is expected to continue for several more days.

Recreational Sports adjusts facility schedules

Posted 5:15 p.m., April 17, 2007

Recreational Sports has arranged to keep its facilities at McComas and War Memorial open for the rest of the week. Students, faculty, and staff have a place to go on campus to work out and relieve some stress so that they can start the healing process after these tragic events. Unfortunately, the pools will not be opened in either facility due to limited staffing.

Rec Sports also has cancelled the following: All instructional classes, group exercise classes, intramural sports activities, the Graduate Life Fitness Fair, the University Bookstore 5K Dash for the Cure, and the Intramural Sports Softball Championship Night.

Download a detailed schedule for both facilities (PDF).

NCR / Northern Virginia campus announcements

Updated 2:15 p.m., April 17, 2007

Virginia Tech faculty, staff and students in the National Capital Region will gather together Wednesday, April 18th, at noon at the Northern Virginia Center, room 100, to share our collective sorrow about the tragic events of April 16th in Blacksburg.

Virginia Tech in the National Capital Region will hold a public Candlelight Vigil on Wednesday, April 18, 7:30 p.m., at the Old Town Market Square, City Hall, 300 King Street, Alexandria, Va., to honor victims of the tragic events of April 16 on the university’s main campus in Blacksburg.

At 8 p.m. the same evening, the National Capital Region Chapter of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association will hold a Candlelight Vigil at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 9220 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, Va. This non-denominational event is an opportunity for Hokies to join together and show their support for the family and friends of the victims.

A special message to all alumni of Virginia Tech

Posted noon, April 17, 2007

To our Virginia Tech alumni, I write the kind of message I never expected to have to write in my entire career serving the university ...

Read the full message from Tom Tillar, Vice President for Alumni Relations

Board of Visitors to meet

Posted 11:40 a.m., April 17, 2007

The Board of Visitors will meet in closed session at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Merryman Center conference room.

Classes canceled for remainder of week

Posted 9:30 a.m., April 17, 2007

Virginia Tech continues to mourn the loss of 33 members of our community. As we move forward, we share the following information:

Virginia Tech will cancel all classes for the remainder of the week to allow students the time they need to grieve and seek assistance as needed. The university will re-open administrative operations beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, April 18, understanding that some faculty and staff may wish to take additional time off this week to grieve the loss of fellow colleagues and friends. We ask individual employees to communicate with their supervisors of their schedules for the balance of the week.
We will close Norris Hall for the remainder of the semester. Staff are currently working to arrange alternative locations for classrooms and faculty offices.
Counseling and other resources are available for students, faculty, and staff. Students may receive counseling at McComas Hall and counselors will be available for extended hours. Counselors will also be available in West Ambler Johnston for residents.
Employees may receive needed support by going to the Brush Mountain Room in Squires Student Center throughout the day.
The university will be holding a convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. at Cassell Coliseum. This will be the first time the Virginia Tech community will come together since the tragedy to share our collective sorrow. At that time, President George Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Gov. Timothy Kaine, Mrs. Kaine, members of our Board of Visitors, members of the clergy, our students, and poet Nikki Giovanni will share messages of condolence to the family and friends of the victims and words of hope to all of us as we move forward past this tragedy.

Again, we encourage all members of the Virginia Tech community to attend. Should the coliseum be full, the event will be broadcast on campus cable stations.

The Virginia Tech community, and the world at large, continues to struggle with these horrible events. We hope these steps will help in that healing process.

Norris Hall gunman identified; ballistics match at both crime scenes

Posted 9:15 a.m., April 17, 2007

The Virginia Tech Police Department has confirmed the identification of the gunman responsible for the multiple fatalities at Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus Monday, April 16, 2007.

Cho Seung-Hui

The individual has been identified as Cho Seung-Hui, 23. Cho was enrolled as an undergraduate student in his senior year as an English major at Virginia Tech. Cho, a South Korean native, was in the U.S. as a resident alien with a residence established in Centerville, Va. Cho was living on campus in Harper Residence Hall.

A 9-milimeter handgun and 22-caliber handgun were recovered from Norris Hall. Ballistic tests on the evidence seized from the Norris Hall and the West Ambler Johnston Residence Hall scenes were conducted at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) lab in Maryland. Lab results confirmed that one of the two weapons seized in Norris Hall was used in both shootings.

“At this time, the evidence does not conclusively identify Cho Seung-Hui as the gunman at both locations,” said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police. “With this newfound ballistics evidence, we are now able to proceed to the next level of this complex investigation.”

State, local, and federal investigators spent the night collecting, processing, and analyzing evidence from within Norris Hall. The deceased were recovered from at least four classrooms on the second floor and a stairwell of Norris Hall. The gunman, who took his life, was discovered by police in a classroom among the victims.

All of the deceased have been transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke for examination and identification.

The names of the 32 deceased students and faculty will be released once all victims are positively identified and next-of-kin notified.

The Virginia Tech Police Department, Blacksburg Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, FBI, ATF, and multiple other state and local agencies are all involved in the ongoing investigations at both Norris Hall and West Ambler Johnston Hall.

Counseling available today

Updated 8 a.m., April 17, 2007

Counseling assistance for faculty and staff today has been moved to Brush Mountain Room A in Squires Student Center, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Counseling assistance for for students is available at West Ambler Johnston and McComas Hall until 9 p.m.. Students are encouraged to utilize these services. Students may also gather at the Old Dominion Ballroom in Squires Student Center.