20/04/2007

Inquiry launched into Virginia shootings

The governor of Virginia has announced that an investigation will be held into the shootings at Virginia Tech earlier this week.

Tim Kaine has appointed an independent panel to investigate the shootings. Former Virginia police chief Gerald Massengill will lead the panel, which will also include Tom Ridge, a former head of the US Department of Homeland Security.

Mr Kaine said that the investigation would not be looking to lay blame for the tragedy, but to try and ensure that such an incident could not happen again.

Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old English student at Virginia Tech, killed 32 people in two separate shooting incidents at the university on Monday.

Two people were killed in a shooting at the West Ambler Johnston dormitory on Monday morning, while 30 people were killed in classrooms at Norris Hall - about half a mile from the dormitory - two hours later, before Cho eventually killed himself.

Eight people are still being treated in hospital.

Virginia Tech has announced that the students killed by Cho would all receive posthumous degrees.

Two days after the shootings it was revealed that Cho had been referred for psychological counselling after material he produced in his creative writing class was described as "disturbing".

He was also evaluated in a mental health facility after two female students complained about his behaviour.

Both these incidents occurred around November and December 2005.

Cho also sent a package containing photographs, video clips and writings to US television network NBC on the day of shootings.

In some of the footage, broadcast on NBC Nightly News, Cho was shown pointing guns at the camera and saying: "You had a hundred billion chances and ways to have avoided today.

"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."

Virginia State Police have criticised NBC's decision to broadcast the footage.

The material sent to NBC has now been passed to the FBI.

(KMcA/JM)


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