Relatives Run To Honor Va. Tech Victims

Thousands Join 3.2-Mile Race On Two-Year Anniversary Of Massacre That Left 32 People Dead

(AP)  Randy Sterne got chills Thursday as he watched hundreds of balloons sail into a bright, sunny sky at the start of a 3.2-mile run to honor 32 people killed by a student gunman at Virginia Tech two years ago.

Sterne walked the course with his son, Kevin, who was injured in the shooting, the worst mass slaying in modern U.S. history. He noted the difference between this year and last, when events to mark the first anniversary started with a chapel service for the families.

"It's a different kind of flavor on the day," Sterne said. "It's more uplifting."

Some 4,300 people, including several students hurt in the shootings and their families, joined the race around the main section of campus. It started with the release of 32 white balloons in memory of those killed April 16, 2007, by Seung-Hui Cho, who also took his own life. Runners then released balloons of maroon and orange, the school colors.

At the core of the group were students hurt in the shootings and their families. Most of the 12 still on campus were in the race, said Debbie Day, head of the school's Office of Recovery and Support.

Katelyn Carney, one of the injured, graduated in December but came back for the anniversary.

"This is where it matters," she said as she got ready to run with a friend. Her mother was part of the group walking.

Injured student Derek O'Dell said the race was bittersweet.

"It's difficult, but I think it's important," he said.

The mood was upbeat as students crowded around a table to sign a message banner before the race. A noon event to honor the accomplishments of the 27 students and five faculty members killed would be more somber.

"Not a day goes by that we don't think about it," said Fred Cook, an engineering student who injured an ankle when he jumped from a second-floor classroom window to escape the gunfire. "This increased sense of awareness by everyone certainly makes it more acute for us."

Events also included an open house in a new peace center that occupies a refurbished classroom wing where most students were killed. The final event was a candlelight vigil at dusk.

Classes had already been canceled, but the response to the "3.2 for 32" race was so great that the school also delayed opening offices until midmorning to avoid traffic jams.

About 100 relatives of victims and injured students returned for the memorial ceremonies - a few more than last year, Day said. Many still find it too painful to return, said Joseph Samaha, whose daughter Reema Samaha died.

Suzanne Grimes, Kevin Sterne's mother, said memories came flooding back when she arrived Wednesday at the hotel where she spent 28 days while he was hospitalized.

While most families accepted an $11 million state settlement and agreed not to file suit, some remain critical of school officials' actions the day of the shootings. Samaha said he wanted to come to campus not only for the anniversary events, but also "to work on bridge-building."

[schoollord]

gunownerdan said "Killers will always prefer unarmed and defenseless victims."

Most DGUs are against unarmed criminals so we could say "Gun owners prefer unarmed and defenseless criminals"!~

[schoollord]

rsmik you are correct. "A central tenet of game theory is that attackers have the advantage over defenders. A defender must defend against all possibilities of attack, and in doing so defends none of them very well. An attacker has to choose only one line of attack, and therefore can do it extremely well. Attackers have the advantage of surprise, planning and initiative. An example is a careful, well-considered plan to shoot someone in the back, even if the person is openly carrying a sidearm. Another example is bank robbery. The fact that banks are extremely well-protected hasn't stopped their robbery even today -- criminals simply arm themselves more heavily and take advantage of the fact that they are the attackers." We have 30,000 gun-related deaths per year but just 250 lives saved with guns. That means that for every 120 killed just ONE is saved. Gun owners dream of being the saviors in all these shootings but most of the time they are the shooters!~

[rsmik]

If you wake up in the middle of the night to find a crazed gunman standing over you pointing a gun in your face, how will owning a gun help you? If you are in a classroom and a crazed gunman starts shooting at you, how will owning a gun help you? If you are out shopping in a mall and a crazed gunman starts shooting at you, how will owning a gun help you? If you are in a restaurant eating dinner and a crazed gunman starts shooting at you, how will owning a gun help you? Unless you are even more trigger-happy than the crazed gunman, how will owning a gun help in any of those situations?

[schoollord]

The Masses said "That's just blatently wrong. And stupid to suggest."

Actually not!~ Most mass killers are legal gun owners!~ That's a FACT!~

[TheMasses01]

Most mass killers are legal gun owners!~
Posted by schoollord
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That's just blatently wrong.
And stupid to suggest.

[schoollord]

gunownerdan said "Killers will always prefer unarmed and defenseless victims."

The killer was a legal gun owner like gunownerdan. Most mass killers are legal gun owners!~

[gunownerdan]

Killers will always prefer unarmed and defenseless victims.