Updated:At Least 33 Dead in Va. Tech Shooting

There will be plenty of time to figure out what went wrong, and what could have happened.

Right now offering sympathies/condolences is probably the appropriate response. I already learned that... and I'm done talking about it for the day.

As for the mental illness factor and who should be held responsible, I don't think it's a question so much of "who" as it is "how."

We can argue over who is responsible for keeping guns out of the hands of the crazy, or who is responsible for diagnosing the crazy and keeping them under close watch, or who is responsible for taking their crazy pills. But the real question is how the hell is any policy you set forth going to prevent the occasional nutjob from slipping through the cracks?

Ban guns? Someone determined will buy one on the black market.

Make it real easy for sane people to carry guns to stop the crazies? More accidental gun deaths. And how can you ensure the sane people who now own guns won't go crazy in the future.

Lock up anyone diagnosed as bipolar, paranoid shizophrenia, severe depression, or rage disorders? Pretty unfair to the mentally ill who just want to get back to a healthy state of mind. And how would you do this cost effectively?

Ramp up security at schools? What about offices? How much are you going to spend doing this?

It sucks, but sometimes shit just happens. I can't think of a policy that will help here.

Well, it's not a matter of right or wrong. It's just a matter of being sensitive, that's all.

Well, to each his own. But I remember the "who's fault is this" discussions starting on the national news programs the very night of the Columbine shooting.

I don't think anyone's being insensitive at all. Talking about what happened and ways to prevent it does not preclude you from feeling sorrow and mourning the loss of these innocent college kids.

Let's all relax, nobody's going to hang you for expressing your opinion too early.

My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who was affected by this tragedy. It is pretty wild that VT wouldn't at least cancel the classes so students could get the hell out of there before they got killed. For the killer to get away with that many shootings shows just how much work school security systems need in this country.

The latest from the WSLS TV (NBC) website:

Police say a gunman at Virginia Tech University has killed 31 people after he opened fire in a dorm and classroom. The gunman was killed, but it was unclear if he was shot by police or took his own life.
The first happened at a co-ed residence hall between 7:15 and 7:30 AM at West Ambler Johnston Dorm. This dormitory houses nearly 900 students. The gunfire continued about two hours later inside a classroom in Norris Hall, an engineering building. Virginia Tech's police chief says one student was killed in the dorm and the others were killed in the classroom.
The university's president says the school considers the shootings a tragedy of "monumental proportions." All entrances to the campus have been closed and classes are canceled through tomorrow. VT officials are urging people not to go on campus. Virginia Tech is using it's warning system to tell students to stay in their dorms.
Montgomery County Schools are on lockdown until further notice.
Blacksburg Transit bus transportation has been suspended until further notice.

My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who was affected by this tragedy. It is pretty wild that VT wouldn't at least cancel the classes so students could get the hell out of there before they got killed. For the killer to get away with that many shootings shows just how much work school security systems need in this country.

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?

My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who was affected by this tragedy. It is pretty wild that VT wouldn't at least cancel the classes so students could get the hell out of there before they got killed. For the killer to get away with that many shootings shows just how much work school security systems need in this country.

Consider that the class may have already started when the campus went into lockdown, which is different then cancelling classes. Lockdown means "stay put where you are until further notice". The students would have had to stay in the classroom until someone advised the it was safe to leave. If the gunman had been shortly apprehended without further incident to anyone else then it may be reasonable to assume classes would have stayed on schedule and it would be up to the discretion of the dormitory students at Ambler-Johnston if they wanted to attend.

Really, that's simply my speculation but there's not too many cases to fall back on for guidance when it comes to university shootings.

To my knowledge, this type of crime is limited to this country. Perhaps not totally, but generally?? (not bombing, but school related) If that is true, there is a much more elemental question....or two.
Why are we doing these things? What about this country makes these types of things attractive? How does someone go undetected in our society that aspires to be a mass murderer? We NEED TO figure out some of these questions.
Keeping weapons capable of mass destruction out of the publics hands is not an option, as the plans (and materials) to build bombs, guns, bio-weapons, etc. are readily available.
What is wrong with our society that breeds this type of person so frequently?
It is important that we figure it out, as there are CERTAINLY more out there......planning

I'm sure there was a lot of confusion and miscommunication early on, so I won't judge the university's decisions until more info is known. Obviously this is a horrible tragedy, and no matter how prepared people think they are the truth is you can never be prepared for something like this and make all the correct decisions in the heat of the moment.

Schneed10 I agree with you!

People are trying to point the finger as to why this happen. It is really easy some sick F decide he would play god today. WE CAN"T MANAGE OUR LIVES AROUND THE 1%.