Gunman's Run-Ins With Campus Police

Cho Seung-Hui Stalked Two Female Students And Had Been Ticketed By Police For Speeding

(CBS/AP)  On April 18, 2007, Virgina Tech campus police released details of their involvement with Cho Seung-Hui.

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Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech gunman implicated in the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history, had been accused of stalking two female students and was taken to a mental health facility in 2005, CBS News has learned.

On Nov. 27, 2005, Cho contacted a female student through phone calls and in person. The student notified the Virginia Tech Police Department but declined to press charges. Officers spoke with Cho concerning the incident, however, and the investigating officer referred Cho to the university disciplinary system, the Office of Judicial Affairs. For more information on Judicial Affairs visit www.judicial.vt.edu.

On Dec. 12, 2005, Cho instant messaged a second female student, who made a complaint to Virginia Tech Police. Later that day police received a call from an acquaintance of Cho's who was concerned that Cho might have been suicidal. Officers again met with Cho and talked with him at length. In both instances there was never any direct threat made.

Out of concern for Cho, officers asked him to speak to a counselor. He went voluntarily to the police department. Based on that interaction with the counselor, a temporary detention order was obtained and Cho was taken to a mental health facility, the Carilion Saint Albans Behavioral Health Center. Also in the fall of 2005, the chair of the English department, Dr. Lucinda Roy, shared her concerns with Virginia Tech Police regarding Cho and his course writing assignments.

"These assignments were for a creative writing course that encouraged students to be imaginative and artistic," said W.R. Flinchum, Virginia Tech Police Chief. "The writings did not express any threatening intentions or allude to any criminal activity, and no criminal violation had taken place. Dr. Roy chose to reach out to this student out of concern for him and his mental wellbeing."

Additionally, court records show that Virginia Tech Police issued Cho a speeding ticket on April 7 for traveling at 44 mph in a 25 mph zone. Cho had a court date set for May 23.

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Erh... We are trying but the demos are dragging their arses. We are sending 22,000 additional troops but the liberals did not like the plan and tried to stop it.

[huanaco]

GENTLEMEN ALL : WELL , SAD AS IT IS THIS TRAGEDY GIVES AMERICA A TASTE WHAT GOING ON EVERY DAY IN IRAQ. HERE 32 LIVES WERE LOST, TODAY 200 HUNDRED WENT DOWN THE DRAIN IN IRAQ . IF WE DON,T LIKE THIS MAYHEM IN AMERICA LET,S STOP THE ONE OVER THERE.

[godin6]

well i hate to dissapoint you but the same thing happened in Montreal canada and they got much tougher gun laws.

I would prefer to
have armed guards at universities along with increased counseling efforts.

I bet that would be much more effective and realistic then blindly banning guns
I am for reasonable gun laws not baning guns.
Banning guns is like banning crime...criminals don't care about your ban.

[bogusbones]

I think there are many crimes that universities keep "in house" so they are not placed in a negative public relations situation. My son has a friend at an eastern school and she told him she was date raped, she went to the campus security and she was told they'd look into it with no apparent urgency. She finally had to go to the local police to get some action against her assailant.
A university has to keep up its public image or lose valuable enrolees. This regrettable slaughter may have been prevented, but who really knows when someone is going to break down psychologically and commit some horrific crime.
On the news there was a film clip of Australia's laws banning guns. Nothing made me feel better than to see a huge crane lifting hundreds of guns to put them into an incinerator.
What if that happened in the U.S.? Fat chance.