Virginia Tech Killer Cho Seung-Hui, Like Jesus Christ or Demon Possessed

Article from christiansunite.com
Virginia Tech killer Cho Seung-Hui claimed he was like Christ. Worldwide minister Paul Davis
examines the spiritual forces that motivated this murderer.
Paul Davis has extensive experience dealing with demon possession, mind renewal, inward transformation, and helping confused individuals become integrated and congruent. Paul's ability to move in the supernatural power of God to break demonic influences destroying human beings has impacted people on every continent.

"If God does not touch our feelings, the devil will. Religion that is cold as ice is never nice. The Church was meant to be a lifeboat, not a pleasure boat. If we do not rescue the perishing, we will need rescuing ourselves." - Paul F. Davis

Cho's deceptive decline and the critical components that led to him being overtaken by demons were:

1. Cho was a silent loner and isolated recluse. "Isolation is the breeding ground for deception. The devil preys on the weak and works on people when they are alone. The first banana that gets peeled is the one that separates from the bunch. Idle time is the devil's playground." Paul F. Davis
Satan is the father of lies, spewing falsities and accusations. Falsities belittle a person and diminish their self-esteem, while accusations get them to question who they are.
"There are three origins of voices: God, man, and the devil. Isolated individuals often cannot differentiate between the voices they hear and often internally take ownership of them as their own. Internalizing and taking personal ownership of demonic voice's directives can be both deceptive and deadly." - Paul F. Davis

2. Cho was jealous and envious. Cho left an angry note in his dorm against rich kids and women. Jealousy is the rage of a man and envy like rottenness in the bones (Proverbs 6:34; 14:30). Cho was eaten up with jealousy and envy, which at its peak propelled his fit of rage.

3. Cho was suicidal. He had mentioned committing suicide to his roommates. The devil was certainly working overtime to kill, steal, and destroy this young man. Jesus warned of a day when people would kill in the name of God and claim they are serving Him. Those who kill don't know God (John 16:1-3; Exodus 20:13).
"The eyes are the window of the soul. Cho Seung- Hui's eyes revealed there was another resident occupying and possessing him. Cho's dull eyes displayed an absence of life and abandonment. His body was the host and the demons the parasitical inhabitants, which clearly spoke through him during his video manifesto mentioning 'my children, my brothers and sisters' of which there was no factual basis." Cho's deep sense of self-hatred and disregard for human life manifested in his angry creative writing.

4. Cho lacked solid values, beliefs, and faith. He seems to have been troubled about religion and American values. He railed against snobs, debauchery, and deceitful charlatans on campus. Unsure of his beliefs, what little Cho knew he twisted and perverted. The strange inscription on one of his arms -- the words "ISMAIL AX" in red ink, referenced the near sacrifice of Abraham's son Isaac before God intervened. Apparently Cho identified with the ideal of sacrifice, though this truth he distorted and grossly perverted in his interpretation of Scripture and intention to kill.
God wants people to be living sacrifices not dead ones (Romans 12:1-2). Sadly Satan knows and quotes the Bible more than most Christians (Matthew 4:5-6). The devil twisted the sacred text and Cho right along with it. "We cannot pretend demons don't exist. Demoniacs and troubled youth like Cho Seung-Hui are labeled weird, but they must be liberated by God's love and power. Mary Magdalene was packing seven devils before Jesus unloaded her baggage. Jesus commanded His disciples to cast out devils, not create denominations!" - Paul F. Davis

5. Cho lacked caring and confrontational friends. When Simon the sorcerer tried to buy the gift of God with money, the apostle Peter rebuked him for such a wicked thought as his heart was not right in the sight of God (Acts 8:9-25). The apostle Paul told Elymas the sorcerer he was full of all subtlety and mischief, a child of the devil, an enemy of all righteousness, and one who perverted the right ways of the Lord (Acts 13:6-12).
Cho desperately needed someone to compassionately confront him and walk with him out of isolation. "Though Cho believed in Christ, his heart was not right in the sight of God. Instead of dealing with his own unfinished business and issues, Cho in his pride was silently accusatory and murderous. Disassociating from and projecting his pain on to others, Cho was never made whole himself."
"Cho's unresolved anger, inner hurts, and wounds left him suseptible to demonic attack. Isolated and dwelling in darkness within, demons feasted upon him like buzzards on a decaying carcass. His fragile and shattered identity, unattended to, (combined with demonic activity) led Cho to a deadly destiny. Our society desperately needs a powerful spirituality capable of restoring people's identity and driving out the devils lodged internally."

EDITORIAL: While I'm not sure I agree with everything Mr. Davis says in this article, I wholeheartedly agree that Seung Cho was not a Christian (not right in the sight of God). He may have had church upbringing, but that doesn't make him a Christian anymore than the fact that my work in a hospital makes me a doctor. No, Seung was a very troubled young man who felt isolated and alone -- and allowed himself to be possessed of Satan in such a way that Cho carried out the real work of the devil -- taking lives and destroying them.
While I'm sure some NewzReviews readers will say I'm off my rocker, the fact of the matter is that Jesus himself said that demons exist in this world -- and that they inhabit some human beings. As an earlier entry stated, Seung-Hui Cho was the manifestation of evil.
The point that needs to be made is that ALL Believers should seek out people like Cho -- and LOVE them in a way that makes God smile in calling us His own. We can't force them to respond, but we can give them every opportunity and every reason to step out of their dispair and into the light of the world.
There are many other things society needs to do in order to stop the "production" of more Seung Chos, Dylan Klebolds, Eric Harrises and the like. I'll leave that idea for another post on another day...

'God Hates Virginia Tech' Funeral Picketers Outrage America

Article by Christian Today
The "God Hates America" cult is back, but this time its making plans to picket memorial services of the Virginia Tech shooting victims. Notorious for protesting funerals of troops killed in Iraq, members of Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas announced it will protest the funeral service on Saturday for Ryan Clark, one of 32 victims of Monday's massacre. As family members and friends ready to honour the life of 22-year-old Clark at Lakeside High School in Evans, Georgia, the American Centre for Law and Justice is working with state officials to help prevent any disruption at the scheduled memorial service.
"This clearly represents a new low for these protestors who now intend to disrespect the memory of the victims of massacre at Virginia Tech," said Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of the ACLJ, in a released statement. "Those attending Ryan Clark's memorial service should be able to participate and pray in peace and quiet - without undue interference by WBC." Westboro Baptist, which is not affiliated with any Baptist denomination, has 75 members, mainly made up of Pastor Fred Phelps and his relatives. They have appeared outside funerals of American troops killed in Iraq since 2005, chanting "America is doomed" and calling the fallen soldiers proof of God's wrath against America's open stance to homosexuality. Now included in their list of soldiers' funeral services to picket at is the service of a young victim of the Virginia Tech shooting.
While a wave of condolences, love and prayers come from millions across the nation and around the world to Virginia Tech and while evangelists and Christians affirm God's presence and love for everyone, WBC says in its press release: "God hates Virginia Tech, Virginia, and America. The 33 killed at Virginia Tech died for America's sins in persecuting WBC for 16 years," the release added.
Westboro Baptist alleges that the US has persecuted the Kansas "church" with search warrants, vandalism, assault, arrest and mockery of their message that they say is from God. The small church, however, is alone in its protests and message. The congregation prays that all of God's chosen people will hear the call and make their way to the church. So far, no other religious group has joined them. Their chants and songs at funeral services, which many find morally repugnant and unpatriotic, have led 31 states to pass legislation to keep protestors away from military funerals.
As memorial services for the Virginia Tech victims continue over the weekend, the ACLJ is out to help preserve solemnity as it urges local officials to apply state and local laws to permit the services to be conducted in peace. "It's clear that federal, state, and local laws properly underscore the fact that protests designed to disrupt the peace and privacy of a solemn ceremony violate reasonable time, place, and manner regulations of speech that have been upheld repeatedly by numerous courts including the Supreme Court of the United States," said Sekulow. "We urge local officials to utilise constitutionally-sound laws to protect the solemnity of Ryan's memorial service." For memorial services held in Virginia, WBC protestors could be arrested if they interrupt the funerals, Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell is warning them.
Meanwhile in Georgia, the ACLJ says, "We admire the commitment of Columbia County in ensuring that family, friends, and other grieving citizens can honour Ryan's life and memory without undue interference by WBC." Clark grew up in Martinez, Georgia, and was a resident adviser in the West Ambler Johnston dormitory, where the first shooting attack occurred early Monday morning. According to The Washington Post, friends said Clark was killed when he left his fourth-floor room to investigate a report of a dispute.

EDITORIAL: The Westboro Bigoted Cult (WBC) is a group of despicable individuals who use the name of God to spew their evil rhetoric. They are not, in any way, related to Christian teachings or biblical principles. Even though homosexuality is a sin, the Bible says Believers should affirm the truth in love - not by protesting the funerals of soldiers and college students.
WBC has NO love for anything other than their distorted views and idiotic logic. Their claims that "God hates fags" and "God hates America" are just plain WRONG. God hates nothing but sin. God loves every person in his Creation. WBC hates people and illogically concludes that God's wrath is being poured out on America's military in Iraq. How utterly ignorant!
NO ONE should associate the Fred Phelps and his family with Christianity or any church, especially the Baptist faith.

Did The Virginia Tech Massacre Happen Because of a Speech Problem?

Could the massacre that took place at Virgina Tech Monday morning be the result of a life-long speech impediment -- and the ridicule of classmates?

Chris Davids, a Virginia Tech senior who graduated from Westfield High School in Chantilly, Va., with Cho Sueng-Hui in 2003, recalled that the South Korean immigrant almost never opened his mouth and would ignore attempts to strike up a conversation.
"Once, in English class, the teacher had the students read aloud, and when it was Cho's turn, he just looked down in silence", Davids recalled. Finally, after the teacher threatened him with an F for participation, Cho started to read in a strange, deep voice that sounded "like he had something in his mouth," Davids said.
"As soon as he started reading, the whole class started laughing and pointing and saying, 'Go back to China,"' Davids said. {FOX News article}

Could this have been one of the moments Cho referred to in his sometimes incoherent video rants that were mailed to NBC's headquarters just before he murdered 30 people in cold, cruel blood?

"You had a hundred billion chances and ways to have avoided today," a snarling Cho says on video. "But you decided to spill my blood. You forced me into a corner and gave me only one option. The decision was yours. Now you have blood on your hands that will never wash off."

EVERY description I've read or heard regarding Seung Cho says he was quiet; he would not talk and even refused to verbally participate in class. Many think the reason was that he was always angry. I'm starting to think he was extremely self-conscious about a speech impediment -- one that he used as a harbor for the rage that was unleashed on the campus of Virgina Tech Monday morning. Even Cho's family was troubled by his lack of verbal communication as an adolescent.

"We were concerned about him being too quiet and encouraged him to talk more." said an uncle (Cho's mother's younger brother), who requested to be identified only by his last name, Kim. Cho "troubled his parents a lot when he was young because he couldn't speak well, but was well-behaved," recalled his grandfather, who was also identified by only his last name Kim in an interview with the Dong-a Ilbo daily. In a separate interview with the Hankyoreh newspaper, Kim, 81, said the relatives were worried that (as a child) Cho might even be mute.

Stephanie Roberts, 22, graduated with Cho from Westfield High School. "I just remember he was a shy kid who didn't really want to talk to anybody," she said. "I guess a lot of people felt like maybe there was a language barrier." But she said friends of hers who went to middle school with Cho told her they recalled him getting picked on there. "There were just some people who were really mean to him and they would push him down and laugh at him," Roberts said Wednesday. "He didn't speak English really well and they would really make fun of him." {FOX News}

I have seen anger that stems from the frustration caused by speech impediments. I've seen and read about the rage and anger that some people bear -- especially when harassed by classmates or the general public. Seung Cho's video segments, filmed over at least six days, offer audio confirmation that he had a problem speaking clearly. In the often-incoherent video, the 23-year-old Cho portrays himself as persecuted.
Was the perceived persecution caused by his inability to speak clearly or without an accent? Was this the source of the remarks "You forced me into a corner and gave me only one option. The decision was yours." Did he somehow brood over childhood foolishness & cruelty until April 16th -- and then explode into a murderous rage?

One item of information that would help explain the situation would be someone who could witness to the conversation (or argument) between Cho Seung-Hui and Emily Hilscher early Monday morning. Witnesses says that the two were arguing when Ryan Clark attempted to intervene. Shortly, thereafter Cho shot Hilscher in the back of the head. He also shot Clark in the neck. Both students later died.
Was Emily the object of Seung's affection; one who either made fun of him or refused his advances? Could she and/or Ryan Clark have made comments that Cho perceived as the catalyst for his being backed into a corner?

Maybe someone will come up with a definitive answer to the question of why Cho wrote "Ismail Ax" (or Ishmael Axe) or his arm -- and that will give us further insight?

No one is sure at this point. However, it is now my hypothesis that Cho Seung-Hui may have gone on the shooting rampage as a result of seething anger that boiled over because he suffered from speech problems that lead to much deeper, psychological issues. The end result of which was a horrible psychosis, murder and suicide.


FOR THE RECORD: I am NOT, in any way, blaming the victims for this tragedy. I am merely offering a hypothesis as to why Seung Cho may have given himself a reason to murder innocent people.

Faith of Cho Seung-Hui Uncertain, But Not That of Many of His Victims

Article by Christianity Today
Two days after the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech, many questions remain unanswered. Among them are questions about Cho's personal religious beliefs and his attitude toward Christians. The few details that have emerged in the press so far seem to raise more questions than they answer. The Associated Press reports, for example:

Cho … left a note that was found after the bloodbath.A law enforcement official described it Tuesday as a typed, eight-page rant against rich kids and religion.The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. "You caused me to do this," the official quoted the note as saying. Cho indicated in his letter that the end was near and that there was a deed to be done, the official said.He also expressed disappointment in his own religion, and made several references to Christianity, the official said.

Unanswered: What was "his own religion"? USA Today says that at least one point, he (like many South Koreans) was a Presbyterian: "Pastor Cha Young Ho of the Korean Presbyterian Church said that the family once belonged to his church and that Cho was a quiet boy." McClatchy reporters talked with Young-Hwan Kim, president of the school's Korean Campus Crusade for Christ chapter. "No one knew him," Kim said. "We had no contact throughout four years. It's amazing. We could not reach out to him." It wasn't for lack of trying, Kim said. Members of Korean Campus Crusade repeatedly invited him to meetings, he said, but Cho wouldn't even provide personal contact information.
Another "reference to Christianity" comes from AOL blogger Ian MacFarlane's posting of Cho's now infamous plays. As The Washington Post summarizes, "The two plays are filled with diatribes against Catholic priests and Michael Jackson, along with references to government conspiracies to kill Marilyn Monroe and John Lennon."

On a more positive note: If Cho's faith remains something of a mystery, Christianity is front and center in much of the memorial. Stories of the victims are trickling out. The Myspace page of Lauren McCain, 20, now continues her testimony. "The purpose and love of my life is Jesus Christ," she wrote. "I don't have to argue religion, philosophy, or historical evidence because I KNOW Him. He is just as real, if not more so, as my 'earthly' father." McCain is becoming one of the more prominent Christian victims, but she's not alone. "Several of our students were killed," Campus Crusade leader Tony Arnold told Mission Network News. "Three that we know were involved with either Campus Crusade for Christ or with one of our sister affiliate ministries called Valor. There's also another student that is not officially listed yet, but since no one has been able to reach her, we believe she must be among the casualties."

Tuesday's public convocation also offered several notes of faith. WorldNetDaily complained that "speakers … called on Allah and Buddha in their efforts to minister to the survivors, family and friends of victims of the shooting massacre at the school — but Jesus wasn't mentioned by name." Apparently quoting Jesus doesn't count: The thousands of attendees recited The Lord's Prayer. Both the speeches of President George W. Bush and Gov. Tim Kaine have also been noted for their religious references.
Governor Kaine invoked Job and Jesus. Job, he said, "was angry at his Creator. He argued with God. He didn't lose his faith, but it's okay to argue. It's okay to be angry." It's also okay to feel despair, he said, pointing to "those haunting words that were uttered on a hill, on Calvary, 'My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?'" But do not let go of community, Kaine urged both those directly lost family members and those able to help the grieving.
President Bush sounded a similar note. "Across the town of Blacksburg and in towns all across America, houses of worship from every faith have opened their doors and have lifted you up in prayer," he said. "People who have never met you are praying for you; they're praying for your friends who have fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, real power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and guidance of a loving God. As the Scriptures tell us, 'Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'"

These are just a few of the faith tidbits appearing in the media so far. Christianity Today has a reporter in Blacksburg and will be looking for other news about campus ministry, the church, and what God is doing at Virginia Tech.

Eleven people hurt in the attack remained hospitalized, at least one in serious condition.

===============================================

EDITORIAL: This article was written before the airing of excerpts from Seung Cho's ranting videos mailed to NBC -- aired last night and this morning. It is very clear from the remarks Cho made that he was NOT a Christian. However, Seung thought himself a martyr in the same way as Jesus was thought a martyr for believers. BTW, Bible believing Christians KNOW that Jesus was not a martyr. He arose on the third day and ascended into Heaven. Therefore, Jesus would NOT be thought of as a martyr by ANY true Christian.
The fact is -- Cho was a psychopath who likened himself to others who commit these kinds of heinous atrocities -- as a result of imagined persecution. They are all self-righteous in their commission of murderous acts.

According to reports, a note left by Cho Seung-Hui talked about the "rich kids," "deceitful charlatans" and "debauchery." And there is also talk that he may have been rejected by a woman, or women, that he had feelings for. Perhaps in Cho's mind, these people were his "jailers" — the wardens of his prison responsible for his emotional incarceration. He vilified them, found them guilty of great offenses and then logically executed his warped sense of justice ... and murdered 32 people. {FOX News}

I have taken quite a bit of bashing for stating that Cho would be found to be a fan of violence media -- and that "his own religion" was NOT Christianity. It should be abundantly clear now that Seung-Hui Cho was not a Believer, even though he may have attended a Presbyterian church some years ago. No, Seung Cho was a demonic psycho bent on destroying those whom he didn't want to or couldn't understand.

Photo of Seung-Hui Cho courtesy of NBC
Photo of Lauren McCain courtesy of DailyPress

Survivors, Mourners Turn to God in US Massacre Aftermath

Source: ChristianityToday

In the aftermath of the worst university massacre in US history, survivors and families in grieving have turned to God for comfort and support.
With scores of prayer vigils ongoing throughout churches in Virginia, US, students have come forward with a clear message that God is with those in need at this difficult time. Megan Martin, 24, was with two-dozen fellow students travelling to a prayer vigil on campus when she told reporters, “God cares about Virginia Tech." Many others in the devastated university carried placards saying ‘Jesus loves you’, ‘God knows and He cares’, and ‘Can we pray with you?’
A memorial service took place Tuesday with US President George Bush telling those hurting to unite in prayer. He urged students to persevere in hope, and to comfort one another with prayers as they struggled to come to terms with the shocking events. Offering comfort in a biblical message to the residents of Blacksburg, a Bible Belt town in southwest Virginia, President Bush stated: “As the scripture tells us, don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
On a day when a clearer picture of what had happened developed rapidly, the community was left in disbelief as they found out it was a fellow student that had carried out the atrocities. South Korean-born Cho Seung-Hui (aka Seung Cho), 23, and English literature student, was named as the only known shooter in the tragedy which killed 33 students, including Cho himself. Students have attempted to deal with their grief by creating a number of memorials throughout the campus area in remembrance of the dead. One memorial left for victim Jarrett Lane, an engineering student read: “God bless you Jarrett, your family, friends, and all of the victims and those around you. Enjoy the Lord's kingdom.” At the same memorial another note left a quote from the Bible: "Be strong and courageous, Do not be terrified; for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.”
The reaction from the churches around the shattered community has been one of compassion, with churches all over Blacksburg leaving their doors open welcoming those in need of refuge, prayer and comfort. Following a prayer vigil at St Francis Anglican Church 22-year-old Adam Henry testified: “You've got to keep your focus on faith.”

The Shooter: Cho Seung Hui - Troubled

Update: 2:24 p.m. (Revised)

Source: NBC4

Officials have identified the gunman in the shootings on the Virginia Tech campus.He has been identified as Cho Seung Hui. He was enrolled as an undergraduate student in his senior year as an English major at Virginia Tech. Cho, 23, a South Korean native, was in the United States as a resident alien with a residence in Centerville, Va.
Cho, a South Korean immigrant who had been in the United States since 1992, held a green card signifying his status as a legal permanent U.S. resident, federal officials said Tuesday. He attended Westfield High School, according to NBC News' Pete Williams.
Immigration records maintained by the Department of Homeland Security show that Cho was born in South Korea on January 18, 1984 and entered the United States through Detroit on September 2, 1992. He had last renewed his green card on October 27, 2003.
University officials said he lived in a dormitory on the Virginia Tech campus, but could shed no light on a motive for the shooting spree that left 33 dead. "He was a loner, and we're having difficulty finding information about him," said Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker.
The English major's creative writing was so disturbing that he was referred to the school's counseling service, officials said. Professor Carolyn Rude, chairwoman of the university's English department, said she did not personally know the gunman. But she said she spoke with Lucinda Roy, the department's director of creative writing, who had Cho in one of her classes and described him as "troubled."
"There was some concern about him," Rude said. "Sometimes, in creative writing, people reveal things and you never know if it's creative or if they're describing things, if they're imagining things or just how real it might be. But we're all alert to not ignore things like this." She said Cho was referred to the counseling service, but she said she did not know when, or what the outcome was. Rude refused to release any of his writings or his grades, citing privacy laws.
The gunman's family lived in an off-white, two-story town house in Centreville. "He was very quiet, always by himself," neighbor Abdul Shash said of the gunman. Shash said the gunman spent a lot of his free time playing basketball, and wouldn't respond if someone greeted him. He described the family as quiet. Marshall Main, who lives across the street, said the family had lived in the townhouse for several years.
According to court records, Virginia Tech Police issued a speeding ticket to Cho on April 7 for going 44 mph in a 25 mph zone, and he had a court date set for May 23.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry expressed its condolences, and said South Korea hoped that the tragedy would not "stir up racial prejudice or confrontation."
"We are in shock beyond description," said Cho Byung-se, a ministry official handling North American affairs. "We convey deep condolences to victims, families and the American people."

Federal law enforcement officials are saying that Cho (his surname, not first name) left a note "railing" on "rich kids", "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans". They are going through his computer in hopes of finding more clues that will lead them to why Cho committed mass murder yesterday.

The Manifestation of EVIL: Cho Seung-Hui

Update: 10:50 a.m.
I was in a meeting, so updates from the last press briefing are a little late. Here are the details I gleaned while keeping one eye on the meeting and one eye on the news conference:

The shooter at yesterday's Virginia Tech Massacre has been identified as Cho Seung-Hui (or Seung-Hui Cho; Cho is the surname). He was a 23 year old native of South Korea. Cho was in the US on an F1 student visa, studying English at Virgina Tech. He was a senior whose address lead to an apartment in Centreville, VA. At VTech, Cho was living in suite 2121 at the Harper Hall dorm.

Police have matched fingerprints and ballistics evidence to both shootings -- and to Cho Seung-Hui. They have also obtained a receipt for the purchase of a 9mm Glock handgun in March of this year. At this point, I have not heard anything about the purchase or ownership of the other gun used in the killing spree -- a Walther P22 .22 caliber pistol.

EDITORIAL: I would wager that police will end up finding a history of violent media as the mainstay of this demon's existence -- in violent video games, horror movies or extreme music such as gangsta rap or goth/death metal. Seung-Hui Cho (pronounced Sung Hue-wee Shoo) didn't just flip out and kill Emily Hilscher, and her West AJ dorm RA, Ryan Clark -- and then brood for almost two hours before heading over to Norris Hall to open fire on more than 40 other people. There is something deeper that an act of "passion" here. Cho's violence shows a rage that is not even close to normal in sane people. There is also evidence that the massacre was premeditated -- and at least partially planned over a period of more than 10 days.

UPDATE: A scrubbed Washington Post article from 4/17/07 stated, "...Several Korean youths who knew Cho Seung Hui from his high school days said he was a fan of violent video games, particularly Counterstrike, a hugely popular online game, in which players join terrorism or counterterrorism groups and try to shoot each other using..."
Since the text has been scrubbed from the original article, I did some investigating to make sure it was originally there. Here is what I found:
Washington Post Search Engine
Counter-Strike & Va. Tech
I wonder why the Post decided to redact the text -- possibly because they didn't want to show a link between violent media and violence acted out?

Partial List of Victims from Virginia Tech Massacre

Update: 8:50 a.m. (Revised 2:54pm)
The following is a partial list of victims killed by a gunman on the campus of Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007:

• Maxine Turner, Vienna, Va., Senior, Chemical Engineering
• Henry Lee, Roanoke, Va., Freshman, Computer Engineering
• Matt La Porte, Dumont, N.J., Freshman, University Studies [picture below]
• Jamie Bishop, Instructor, Foreign Languages and Literatures (German)
• G.V. Loganathan, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Juan Ortiz, Graduate Student, Civil Engineering
• Jarrett Lane, Narrows, Va., Senior, Civil Engineering
• Ryan Clark, Columbia County, Ga., Senior, Biology, English, Psychology (West AJ)
• Leslie Sherman, Sophomore, History and International Studies
• Caitlin Hammaren, Sophomore, International Studies and French
• Liviu Librescu, Professor, Engineering Science & Mechanics
• Kevin Granata, Professor, Engineering Science & Mechanics
• Reema Samaha, Centreville, Va., Freshman
• Emily Hilscher, Woodville, Va., Freshman, Animal & Poultry Sciences, Equine Science (West AJ) [picture below]
Ross Alameddine, Student, Saugus, Mass.
Daniel Cueva, Student, Peru, International Relations
Mary Read, Student, Annandale, Va. [picture at top]

I have included links to the MySpace pages of some of the victims. CNN has more pictures and short bios of a few of the victims.

Emily Hilscher was apparently the first person shot. She was not killed instantly, but died a short time later. It is presumed that she was either the girlfriend of the shooter OR a love-interest of his.

Sources:
FOX News
CNN
MySpace
DelawareOnline

Virginia Tech Massacre: Gunman a Student

Update: 8:29 a.m. (Revised)
Overnight we have learned that the 23 year old Asian gunman was actually a college student at Virginia Tech. From the wording of reporting related to the executed warrant on his "room", it is also apparent that he was living in a dorm, not off campus. This may answer my earlier question as to why no one had focused on the perp's vehicle.
WSLS reports:

"The president of Virginia Tech says the shooter in yesterday's rampage was a student at the university. Charles Steger said the shooter in the second shooting at Norris Hall was Asian and lived in a dorm on the Blacksburg campus. Steger told ABC News that he expects that investigators will get a ballistics report this morning, and he said they will 'be making it public as soon as we can.'
Steger added News that the shooter may have been locked in West Ambler Johnston dormitory when the building was locked down after the first shooting. He says the 'investigation is unfolding as we speak.'"

I wonder why Chief Flinchum repeatedly said that the gunman was not a student at VTech.

Massacre At Virginia Tech: Last Update for Tonight

Update: 2:31 a.m.

Photo: Chicago Sun Times

FOX News is reporting live that search warrants have been executed on the "room" of the 24 yr old Chinese national (the shooting suspect). That suspect remains unnamed at this point.
Additionally, MSNBC is currently reporting that one of the weapons was a .22 caliber and the other was a 44 Magnum, not a 9mm handgun, as widely stated. I guess we'll have to wait to see which is correct.

BTW, NBC has already started the blame game -- by interviewing some dweeb on "Massacre at Virgina Tech" -- airing as I type. Whodathunkit?!?

Virginia Tech: Campus Massacre Update

In case you've been living under a rock for the last 24 hours... The worst mass murder in American history occurred yesterday morning between 7:15am ET and noon. Thirty-three people are dead after a gunman opened fire on faculty and students at Virginia Tech. Two people are dead at West Ambler Johnston dorm; Thirty more were murdered (some execution style) across campus at Norris Hall; and the gunman shot himself in the head, dying immediately.

Geraldo Rivera (FOX News) says local LE say the Facebook.com page mentioned earlier is NOT that of massacre gunman. They say the person shown on the page is not the person who was found dead (by suicide) in Norris Hall on the Virginia Tech campus.
Megyn Kelly (FOX News) used information from Facebook to try and track down information on the individual from the college students' social networking website. Her staff actually went out and tried to find the person shown on Facebook.com. They were unable to find him at two addresses in the Blacksburg, VA area. However, they gained no leads that this person was the gunman.
In fact, Wayne Chiang, owner of the Facebook webpage has gone public to "clear my [his] name". Chiang realizes his Facebook page is suspicious, but insists he is not a person of interest, nor the gunman. "It was five for five. I was Asian, I lived in (the dorm), I go to V Tech, I recently broke up with my girlfriend and I collect guns," says Chiang, who initially contacted ABC affiliate KNXV. Law enforcement officials confirm that Mr. Chiang is NOT a suspect, nor do they think he is related to the crimes that took place yesterday morning at VTech.

NOTE: Law enforcement and others are still working to find out whether or not the two crime scenes from yesterday morning are related. VTech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum has implied that there may be evidence that TWO different situations are at play -- and that the two shooting scenes were not perpetrated by the same individual.

Virginia Tech Massacre: Gunman's Identity Coming to Light

Update: 9:45 p.m. (Revised)

Sources: FOX News/ABC News

Michael Sneed of the Chicago Sun Times is reporting that the Virginia Tech murderer was a 24 year old Chinese national who arrived in the US, on a student visa, this passed year.

The 24-year-old man arrived in San Francisco on United Airlines on August 7 on a visa issued in Shanghai, the source said.

His name has not yet been released, but more information is coming to light as the hours pass.
Before opening fire in Norris Hall, he first went to Randolph Hall. At this point, there are no reports that he harmed anyone there. The gunman murdered dozens of students before turning the gun on himself. Local law enforcement say that a .22 caliber pistol and a 9mm handgun were recovered at the scene.
No identification was found on the gunman's body, police said. Eyewitnesses described him as an Asian male about 6 feet tall. He apparently shot himself in the head after the killings; part of his face was missing when his body was found.

VICTIM STATUS: Most of the victims have been identified. Many of the bodies of those who died in Norris Hall have been removed from the building. Death notifications are being handled right now.

My question -- Why has the gunman's vehicle not been located yet?

Virginia Tech Massacre: The Investigation

Update: 6:00 p.m.

CollegiateMedia reports: Erin Sheehan was one of four people able to walk out of her 9:05 German class in room 207 Norris Hall. "It's a small class, about 25 people," she said. "And I would say no more than 2 people didn't show up, were absent. And of those of us that were in there today, only four of us walked out of that room, but two of us had been injured during the shooting," Sheehan said.
"It seemed so strange," Sheehan said. "Because he peaked in twice, earlier in the lesson, like he was looking for someone, somebody, before he started shooting. But then we all heard something like drilling in the walls, and someone thought they sounded like bullets. That's when we blockaded the door to stop anyone from coming in."
"He was just a normal looking kid, Asian, but he had on a Boy Scout type outfit. He wore a tan button up vest, and this black vest, maybe it was for ammo or something."
"I saw bullets hit people's body," Sheehan said. "There was blood everywhere. People in the class were passed out, I don't know maybe from shock from the pain. But I was one of only four that made it out of that classroom. The rest were dead or injured." She described.

I'm sure Virginia Tech police, along with FBI, ATF and other agencies, are investigating every aspect of the campus massacre that occurred earlier today.

• One thing they should be looking for is the gunman's car. Since it has been reported that he entered Norris Hall with two long guns and two handguns, it's more than obvious he didn't walk to campus. He had to have driven a private vehicle. Where is it and what kind of evidence does it hold?
• Since at least one of the first two victims were likely known to the gunman, police should be tracing back friends and romantic acquaintances of the female resident of the West AJ dorm.
• There is also certainly a definite link between the person living in West Ambler Johnston dorm and classrooms 205/206 on the second floor of Norris Hall.
• Another idea is that the shooter may have been a student. If so, he may have been known to some of the people who were shot in Norris Hall. Hopefully, some of them will be able to identify him by name.
• Of course, the weapons should be traceable back to where it was sold -- and possibly to the owner. By the way he was dressed and armed, it can be concluded that he intended to murder many people -- and possibly shoot it out with law enforcement.
• LE needs to look into last week's bomb threats -- to see if they are related to what happened earlier today.
  

My guess is that we will have the name of the shooter by tomorrow morning -- either officially or unofficially.

Regarding the West AJ crime scene: Before assuming that both this incident and the Norris Hall scene were perpetrated by the same person, think about this scenario... A disgruntled boyfriend goes upstairs to the 4th floor of the West AJ dorm. He kills his girlfriend, then commits suicide. In that circumstance, the two incidents would most likely not be related at all.

Virginia Tech Massacre: News Conference Details

Update: 5:16 p.m.
Officials are holding their second major news conference of the day -- in relation to the murder of 32 students and faculty on the Virginia Tech University campus in Blacksburg, VA.

Here are the highlights:

• VT.edu is pretty much overwhelmed and not available.
• Virginia Tech has arranged for counseling for faculty, staff and students.
• Charles Steger, university president, spoke with President Bush within the last hour. He has also spoken with the Governor twice.

Confirmed details of the 48 dead and wounded:

• 31 deaths inside Norris Hall -- including gunman
• 15 other victims injured or wounded
  
• 2 confirmed dead in West Ambler Johnston -- in addition to 31 @ Norris Hall (one female victim / one male victim)
• West AJ was closed immediately, but the rest of campus was not locked down because police thought incident was isolated and that shooter had left the dorm
  
• Gunman carried NO identification, so law enforcement have not identified him
• Students must have "swipe card" in order to enter dorms during early morning hours
  
• Anticipate being able to release list of those who were killed or injured by tomorrow
• Don't know if shooter was a student or not
• One gunman deceased, but police DON'T know if two incidents were related
• Second incident happened while police were investigating first incident.
• Norris Hall gunman committed suicide
• Suspect first shooting was domestic in nature -- both victims were found in a single West AJ dorm room (one female victim / one male victim)
  
• NO shootout between officers & gunman (despite video showing multiple law enforcement officers firing weapons towards campus buildings)
  
• Some Norris Hall doors were chained shut (from the inside) -- probably by gunman
• No one is in custody -- but active investigation is ongoing as to whether or not there are two gunmen
• Another news conference will be held tonight at around 7:00pm ET
  

Virginia Tech: Eye Witness Accounts Starting to Pour In

Update: 4:00 p.m.
Major news outlets are reporting that President Bush will address the nation live at approx. 4:15pm ET this afternoon.
Virginia Tech University public relations say their next press conference will be held around 4:30pm ET today. NewzReviews will continue to update this story throughout the afternoon and into the evening.

Update: 3:34 p.m.
Junior David Jenkins told FOX News "From what I heard, he chained up some of the doors so people couldn't get in and he basically was just going to every classroom trying to get in, and just started shooting inside classrooms."
One of his friends was in a Norris classroom targeted by the gunman, Jenkins said. "He was very fortunate," Jenkins said. "He said every single person in the room was shot, killed and was in the ground. He laid on the ground with everyone … he played dead and he was OK."

Update: 3:17 p.m.
One student, Derek O'dell, who was shot in the bicep was later interviewed by MSNBC. Odell says that 10-15 students were shot in his classroom on the 2nd floor of Norris Hall. Odell also thinks his professor may have been shot.
The gunman did not say anything. He just started shooting the students without warning. In fact, he tried to re-enter the classroom after moving on once, but the students had already barricaded the door. The gunman started shooting through the door -- in an effort to get back into the classroom. Shortly thereafter, the shooter left the area -- but Odell doesn't know what happened at that point.

The Roanoke Times
FOXNews.com
The Collegiate Times
WSLS.com
ABC News
LiveLeak.com

VT Norris Hall Gunman: Asian Male in His 20's Wearing Maroon Cap & Black Leather Jacket

Update: 2:55 p.m.
Brian Cross, a VT student, was just interviewed live on WSLS-TV. Here are the highlights of his statements:

• The gunman, who is described as an Asian male in his 20's wearing a maroon cap and a black leather jacket, was on the second floor of Norris Hall. Cross was on 3rd floor of Norris Hall taking a test.
• Students initially thought shooting sounds were construction noises (which is going on next door).
• A female student finished her test and was walking down to the second floor. She saw a student jump down the stairwell from a higher floor -- screaming about gunshots. The female student said she also saw smoke from gunshots.
• Everyone in classroom heard girl screaming and more gunshots.
  
• The SWAT team arrived soon after. They called for "Rescue squad - floor two". SWAT escorted students out of building.

This story is truly surreal!

Update: 2:40 p.m.
Ten ATF agents are on the Virginia Tech campus assisting with weapons identification. They are collecting shell casings and running some preliminary tests on scene. Once the weapon has been identified, they will begin an "urgent trace" to determine its origins — where it came from, to whom it was registered, and its history of ownership. All material will be sent to the ATF's national crime lab in Maryland.
The AP is revising their death toll from 32 to 31. NewzReviews certainly hopes the death toll numbers are errors of urgency -- and the actual number is MUCH lower.

The Roanoke Times
FOXNews.com
The Collegiate Times
WSLS.com
ABC News
LiveLeak.com

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

I certainly hope law enforcement officials are checking for any VT webcam (or snapshot) archives -- in order to find evidence. I doubt the HokieSports webcam would be of assistance, but it might not be a bad idea to check it, too.
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.

The Roanoke Times
FOXNews.com
The Collegiate Times
WSLS.com
ABC News
LiveLeak.com