In lockdown in Shanks Hall

By: Shamus Williams


(April 16 -- 11:55 a.m.) I am on campus as we speak and am under lockdown in Shanks Hall, which is located on the opposite side of campus from the shootings. But it is still too close for comfort.

I was in class, working on a paper, when I got an e-mail saying that a shooting had occurred on campus. It was about 20 to 25 minutes later when we received word that the gunman was loose and we were on lockdown. It is a pretty scary thing, because of the recent bomb threats and the whole William Morva thing that happened earlier in the year.

The students in my class have been pretty calm. Everybody is trying to reach friends and family and let them know that we are OK and that nothing has happened on this side of campus. We have all been sending instant messages trying to find information, and there are plenty of rumors swirling. We are all trying to figure out what is real and what is not.

There are plenty of different emotions flying around the room. Some people are trying to make jokes to lighten the mood. Others are trying to scour the Web for information (I would fall into that category). Somehow, others are still trying to get their paper done. I'm definitely not trying to do anything associated with schoolwork with this thing going down.

I really think that it will be a long time before we are let off campus, and the longer they keep us in here, the more worried we are all becoming.

--

Original Source: <a href=http://www.biglicku.com/blu/Stories/StoryDisplayPage.aspx?Title=In%20lockdown%20in%20Shanks%20Hall&ID=185> Big Lick U - April 16, 2007</a>

Shamus Williams

2007-06-26

Sara Hood

Chris Winston <Chris.Winston@biglicku.com>

eng

Tech in &#39;riot&#39; mode

<i>Shootings stun campus</i>

By: Michael Hippchen

(11:50 a.m., April 16) While this morning&#39;s shootings on Virginia Tech&#39;s campus may have come to an end, with one shooter apparently have been captured, things are far from returning to normal on campus.

Classes have been cancelled for the remainder of the day and students were told to remain in their dorms with the doors locked.

I was walking to my class at 10:10 and I heard six shots fired from the Norris area, which was about 200 yards away.

While standing in the middle of the Drillfield, I heard students screaming then running out of the academic buildings across the Drillfield, as well as cops running toward Norris Hall.

During the evacuation, the campus was in full-blown riot mode. I did not feel safe at any time that I was out on the Drillfield, as well as when I was walking back to my dorm.

My friend, Jordan Littauer, said he didn&#39;t know what was going on.

"I was sitting in my Econ class, and a girl next to me got an Instant Message saying that cops questioned her roommate about a shooting that happened on her hall," said sophomore Jordan Littauer.

"I didn&#39;t know shooting was going off at all. I heard students running and screaming all over campus."

--

Original Source: <a href=http://www.biglicku.com/blu/Stories/StoryDisplayPage.aspx?Title=Tech%20in%20&#39;riot&#39;%20mode&ID=184> Big Lick U - April 16, 2007 </a>

Michael Hippchen

2007-06-26

Sara Hood

Chris Winston <Chris.Winston@biglicku.com>

eng