Communication Breakdown Doomed Va. Tech

Report Says Lives Could Have Been Saved If Students And Faculty Were Warned Sooner

(CBS/AP)  Virginia Tech officials could have saved lives if they had quickly issued a campuswide warning that two students had been shot to death in a dormitory and their killer was on the loose, a panel that investigated the attacks said.

Instead, it took administrators more than two hours to get a strongly worded e-mail out to the students and staff. The shooter had time to leave the dorm, mail a letter, and then return to the classroom building where he chained the doors shut and killed 31 more people, including himself.

The report also faults university officials for failing to identify Seung-Hui Cho, two years ago, as an emerging danger, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.

Professors complained of his violent writings, female students accused him of stalking, and his roommates reported suicide threats.

But the information was not widely shared, adds Orr.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine formally accepted the report Thursday. "It is comprehensive and thorough, objective and in many cases hard-hitting, and it is fair," he said.

But one victim's mother urged Kaine to "show some leadership" and fire the university's president and campus police chief for their lack of action during the April 16 attack. Others demanded accountability for errors that were made.

Kaine, however, told The Associated Press that the school's officials had suffered enough without losing their jobs.

"This is not something where the university officials, faculty, administrators have just been very blithe," Kaine said Thursday. "There has been deep grieving about this, and it's torn the campus up."

"I want to fix this problem so I can reduce the chance of anything like this ever happening again," he said. "If I thought firings would be the way to do that, then that would be what I would focus on."

The report also revealed that victims' relatives were not well cared for in the days after the shootings, adds Orr.

The eight-member panel, appointed by Kaine, spent four months investigating the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

"Warning the students, faculty and staff might have made a difference," it wrote in a report released Wednesday night. "So the earlier and clearer the warning, the more chance an individual had of surviving."

The first victims were shot shortly after 7 a.m. It wasn't until 9:26 a.m. that the school sent an e-mail to students and faculty warning: "Shooting on campus. The university community is urged to be cautious and are asked to contact Virginia Tech Police if you observe anything suspicious or with information on the case." Cho opened fire inside Norris Hall about 20 minutes later.

The panel's chairman, Gerald Massengill, told the AP on Thursday: "The alert should have been issued and classes should have been closed. If those students had been given a heads-up, then they could maybe have made some decisions that they didn't have an opportunity to make."

[oakishpines]

'' ... putting women in mens armys did not turn men into gardenets, it turned women into rapists of husbands and children ... putting children into armys does not turn women and men into gardenets, it turns children into parent rapists ... if men are to treat children with respect, then men are to start acting like children ... and are to start treating two year olds like two year olds ... ''

'' ... all the front pages would have been covered in photos of local children dancing get well feed world songs rallied around the sick beds drifting the farm trails, except a terrorist warned against it ... ''

[flygirl391]

I really believe, this is becoming a culture now here in america..making others accountable for bad things happening. they point fingers everywhere besides themselves.

[flygirl391]

What a pity, what a way of thinking. At first I really felt sad for them-the parents for the loss, but as I listen to some of them looking for accountability specially from school officials and others...I think, the parents should also be accountable. "They should have asked their children to wear bullet proof vests or not allow them to go to school that day." what a way of looking a scapegoat. think my dear parents think, do not mumble. What a pity

[sugarmice-2009]

back to the initial story of blaming the college for not handling the situation properly - seems to me that these people are in college for a reason TO LEARN - which means they should be giving their teachers their undivided attention and all cell phones should be turned off - there should be no outside disturbances during class - BUT the teacher should have a warning system that alerts them and they can convey that to the students... Besides, so many cell phone users (sorry I have no cell phone) look to see who is calling and then either accept of decline the call - what''s to say any one of them would have answered the call AND if there was a public announcement there would have been a riot - everyone running around screaming and crying and trying to get out...would have been a horrible mess. Either way - there is no blame as far as I can tell on the college - this was a personal problem that an adult refused to get help with and during his younger years his parents refused to admit they had a "disturbed child".

[Razzl]

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. We should feel sympathy for the families of the victims, but I grow increasingly disgusted with this finger-pointing and demanding people''s jobs from families who didn''t think it so terrible that it was okay for other students on campus to carry registered guns around in their cars. Like the 9/11 attacks I don''t find plausible the scenarios that demand omniscience from the participants; we all would have done differently if we had known what the shooter was capable of, but had no prior experience with that; move on, stop looking for scapegoats...

[donnie900]

Exchange students like this one go to school with a helpline.. a liaison of international affairs, or something like that. I see no reason why the same courtesy can''t be afforded everybody. A school help number.. even if its just support.

Its the small stuff that bags the big guys.

[donnie900]

The argument is ironically the basis for the war on terror. How do you stop the crime of murder from being committed? Answer? You can''t. You can only follow the warning signs.. and warning signs are just warning signs. When somebody has a psychotic break their actions can''t be stopped.

Thats why you have professions like psychology and psychiatry.. and even teachers! And roommates! You base your diagnosis on clear and determinant warning signs, listed in a textbook that, time and time again has proven to be accurate.

But warning signs are nothing! Where there is no system set up. These people who witness these things have no avenue other than a confused look on their face to report these things to qualified people! Should a university have an office of tattletails? No. But teachers and counselors and roommates should have a phone number to call.. or a liason to convey their unprofessional opinions to. And that person should then act on what HE knows, based on what he''s told.

But republicans are impotent with anything with regards to healthcare. ANYTHING!

[thgdriver]

GunOwnerDan

Not only that, the sign tells all criminals the same thing.

Right now some folks are trying to pass the "one gun a month purchase plan''.

How dumb is that? Like criminals bother buying guns in the first place. They steel them.

[thgdriver]

"Doctor" Tucker, when you went over to help the wounded what was to stop the gunman from turning around and putting a bullet in your head? You only stated he was walking away,-- your own words. "FCOL" Sugarmice is correct.

[gunownerdan]

No sign that says "GUN FREE ZONE" will ever save a single life. This is a sad fact and the sooner you realize it the better off we will all be.

[thgdriver]

sugarmice

I specifically refused to answer the question because it was posted to Clint Eastwood Wannabes. Thats not me or any body I know. I tried to point that out at my 3:01 posting. The "Doctor" is not as bright as he thinks he is. I see his answer is wrong in any case. Nice of you to point it out.

[cfin5]

Gun free zone = self-Defense free zone-------mennowoman,.....Are you a Mennonite or ex-Amish? Cause if you are, you sure don''t sound like any of them that I know around me.

[greeneyes222]

Hindsight is always 20/20. I think a lot of people learned a lot from the situation and that''s all to the good as long as change is implemented. But to assign blame seems over the top and unfair - I doubt any other school would have done well under the circumstances.

We always seem to get the bandaid quick fix: The school didn''t get a warning out fast enough but technology will save us in the future. Hah! Shouldn''t we be talking about the other issues here, like the fact an adult mental patient has legal standing and even his/her family can''t ask for help or get information unless it''s a crisis situation. By the time they''re wandering around with a gun, there''s no time left. An adult mental patient has the right to refuse treatment, when by definition, an adult mental patient may not have enough sense to make a good decision.

When you set up well-intentioned laws to cross purposes, someone gets hurt.

[sugarmice-2009]

tuckerndfw - interesting (i have been reading your postings...) that you said you take care of the victim first - NO it''s a police officers duty to make sure HE and his partners are in no danger before helping the victim - case: brother was bleeding (gun shot) in front of an apt complex BUT the officers wouldn''t to directly to him because of safety reasons - unsure where or which apt the gunman was .... so he laid their bleeding while officers were running around the complex trying to secure the place...
but - I totally respect the officers decision no matter that it caused the family grief. Also respect the police force and the firefighters - in the town I live in our law enforcement is versed in both along with emt training - it''s wonderful knowing that when we request help we don''t have to worry about 3 different divisions having to come out -

[thgdriver]

Based on your refusal to answer the question, I would rate you unqualified to carry a firearm under any circumstances.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 03:08 PM : Aug 30, 2007

OK "doctor" Tucker, whatever--second time-- can we move on? LOL

[incog-nito]

A society with fewer means for its citizens to bludgeon each other is logically a safer society.

[thgdriver]

tuckerndfw

It was posted to Clint Eastwood wannabes!!??

Answer my question "Doctor" Tucker, why the need for bragging about yourself?

[sugarmice-2009]

I understand that people out there - those involved - want to place blame on someone - BUT - we have to remember also (and PLEASE I do not condon what he did - it was HORRIBLE)...remember that this individual was an adult. I don''t think that you can MAKE an adult - without actually finding just cause to institutionalize them - go into therapy. Or seek the help they need professionally - and also, this treatment is NOT cheap - professionals in this field are very expensive and unless you have insurance to help pay the costs then you need to be institutionalized to have the state pay for it.
Prior to this horrible horrible event - they knew of issues with this person but they could not make him seek the help he so desperately needed. There are alot of issues that need to be addressed by the college but to blame them totally for his actions is not right. Perhaps they should be holding his parents responsible for not getting him the treatment prior to him bcoming an adult.

[thgdriver]

I was asked a variation of that question by a promotion board prior to my promotion to MP Sgt.

You obviously could not resist slipping that brag in could you?

What does that point to "Doctor"?

[incog-nito]

If a guy walks into a place where you''re at, suddenly without warning pulls out a gun and shoots you dead, what would you do?