Excerpt from FOXNews.com
Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday, shot in the neck and chest before a homicide bomber blew himself up at a campaign rally. Twenty others also died. The assassin struck just minutes after Bhutto addressed a rally of thousands of supporters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
She was shot as she was entering her car. Her attacker then set off his bomb. Bhutto was rushed to the hospital and taken into emergency surgery. "At 6:16 p.m. she expired," said Wasif Ali Khan, a member of Bhutto's party who was at Rawalpindi General Hospital.
U.S. officials said they were looking into reports of Bhutto's death. "Certainly, we condemn the attack on this rally. It demonstrates that there are still those in Pakistan who want to subvert reconciliation and efforts to advance democracy," said deputy State Department spokesman Tom Casey.
Bhutto's death threw the campaign for the Jan. 8 election into chaos and created fears of mass protests and an eruption of violence across the volatile south Asian nation. The United States has for months been encouraging Musharraf to reach some kind of political accommodation with the opposition, particular Bhutto, who is seen as having a wide base of support here.
Bhutto served twice as Pakistan's prime minister between 1988 and 1996. She had returned to Pakistan from an eight-year exile on Oct. 18. Her homecoming parade in Karachi was also targeted by a suicide attacker, killing more than 140 people. On that occasion she narrowly escaped injury. [TIME.com released an excellent overview of Benazir Bhutto after the assassination today.]
The scene of the bombing Thursday was awash in blood. An Associated Press reporter could see body parts and flesh scattered at the back gate of the Liaquat Bagh Park where Bhutto had spoken. He counted about 20 bodies, including police, and could see many other wounded people. Party supporter Chaudry Mohammed Nazir said two gunshots rang out when Bhutto's vehicle pulled into the main street and then there was a huge blast next to her car.
ADDED LINK 16:36 ET: Getty Images Photog, John Moore, took last known photos of opposition leader before death.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Benazir Bhutto Has Been Assassinated!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Official Death Toll in Virginia Tech Massacre Is Now 32 Dead
Update: 2:25 p.m.
Eye witnesses are telling news organizations that a professor who was shot in the face died at the scene in Norris Hall. Others report that the shooter had an automatic long gun, a shotgun and two 9mm handguns -- one of which he used on himself during a gunfight with police.
Witnesses say they heard between 40 and 50 shots as they scurried from the engineering building. The shooter was wearing a vest covered in clips was just unloading on their door, going from classroom to classroom … they said it never seemed like it was going to stop and there was just blood all over.
Other people (including reporters) are already speculating on a connection between last week's bomb threats and this morning's massacre. The first was directed at Torgersen Hall, a classroom and laboratory building, while the second was directed at multiple engineering buildings.
Update: 2:00 p.m.
The death toll now OFFICIALLY stands at 32 people dead as a result of what is thought to be a lone gunman going on a rampage at Virginia Tech. Add the number of dead to the reports of 29 who were wounded, and the total of people injured or killed is more than 60.
Robert Bowman, Managing Editor of The Collegiate Times (CT), says that the prevalent rumor on campus is that the (reported) Asian gunman killed himself when confronted by law enforcement officers at Norris Hall. BTW, the Asian man being shown on news outlets (face down and handcuffed), is NOT the gunman. He is a reporter for CT.
Another rumor going around campus is that the shooter was looking for his girlfriend -- quite possibly at her dorm (West AJ) and later at class in Norris Hall.
Update: 12:55 p.m.
The twenty-two dead are as follows:
- One dead from shooting on 4th floor of West AJ dorm. Another person was shot in the dorm, but was not killed.
- Twenty dead from classroom numbers 205 & 206 at Norris Hall.
- The gunman is reportedly dead, as well.
At Least 20 Dead in Norris Hall on VT Campus
Update: 12:25 p.m.
The local police chief (Chief Wendell Flinchum) is being interviewed on TV as I type. He just stated that there are at least 20 fatalities from two separate shootings at Virginia Tech this morning.
He also says that the suspected shooter is dead -- but did not know whether police killed him or he committed suicide. {There are conflicting reports regarding the suspect being in custody or dead.}
Here are the details, as I have heard them -- UPDATED -- from University President, Charles Steger, and the police chief:
- 7:40am - 911 call came into campus police from West AJ dorm (one dead on 4th floor)
- Two hours later (as investigation was going on in West AJ), reports came in regarding shootings in Norris Hall (20 dead)
- At least twenty-two dead (according to VT website)
- At least twenty-one wounded
- Two different shootings (two locations & two different times)
- Campus police, county police, state police and FBI are all on-site
Victims have been taken to Lewis-Gale Medical Center, Carilion New River Valley Medical Center, Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital (RMH) and Montgomery Regional Hospital. Virginia Tech is offering counseling to employees who want assistance after today's events. The counseling is available in the Bowman Room in the Merriman Center.
Update: 12:13 p.m.
FOXNews is reporting that 17 students are currently being treated for gunshot and/or other wounds at Montgomery Regional Hospital.
Eye witnesses are saying that a heavily-armed, "Asian-looking man", wearing a thick vest, entered Norris Hall this morning -- and started shooting indiscriminately into classrooms. One fatality has been reported, but a hospital spokeswoman (Judith Chambers) says that some of the wounded being treated are in serious condition. Multiple victims are undergoing surgery for their wounds.
We also know that at least one instructor is among the wounded.
