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.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Virginia Tech: Eye Witness Accounts Starting to Pour In
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.
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.
