Posted on 04/22/2007 2:44:59 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Tech gunman shot victims over 100 times
By KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press Writer
12 minutes ago
Virginia Tech gunman Seung-Hui Cho fired enough shots to wound his 32 victims more than 100 times before killing himself with a bullet to his head, a medical examiner said Sunday.
Dr. William Massello, the assistant medical examiner based in Roanoke, said pathologists have sent blood samples for toxicology testing to determine if Cho was on drugs at the time of his rampage. It could take as long as two weeks to get the results of those tests, he said.
Cho was not especially accurate with his shots, Massello said, but hit many of the victims several times. His shots caused more than 100 wounds.
Many of the victims had defensive wounds, indicating they tried to shield themselves from Cho's fire, but there was no evidence in the autopsies that Cho struggled with any of the people he killed.
Cho died from a gunshot to his temple, Massello said. Even if his brain had been intact, doctors would not have been able to tell whether he had any sort of brain abnormality. Those are usually neurological or chemical disorders that are not detectable during an autopsy, he said.
Massello said autopsy reports are being typed, and he was unsure when they would formally be completed and released.
Authorities had to return to the victims' dorm rooms and homes to collect fingerprint information so they could make identifications, according to an official close to the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Several of the victims had gunshot wounds to the head, the official said.
Many of the victims' bodies left the medical examiner's office on Thursday, the official said, adding that several major airlines offered to transport the bodies back to their families' for free. The official was not sure if Cho's body was among those that had been released.
Massello said it took four doctors working for days to complete the autopsies on all 32 victims and Cho, but he was not sure whether all had been released to families.
Well, if you’re looking to sue someone, Cho was an empty bucket.
One said they had evidence 168 was fired.
I hate to be picky on a thread like this, but he had more than 32 victims. Why didn’t they include the count of bullets that hit those who did not die?
I am still puzzled why nobody yelled, “Let’s roll...” and ran into him with chairs, furniture, whatever. I just do not understand why at least some of the students didn’t go after him. Haven’t these kids learned anything from 9/11? Survival???
Other 20 year old kids like I was, might have immediately kicked into adrenalin mode and waited for him to walk thru the door to smash a folding chair into the top of his head.
As a 20 yr old in basic training down in Ft. LenordWood MO, I got jumped by some black gang bangers, and I found out what I had in me, alot.
It is only natural, but most people instinctively avoid injury and may have a hard time comprehending the reality of the situation. This can cause them to freeze up for those critical seconds where the bad guys gain the lethal edge.
could be a question of time .. the 93 passengers had time to understand what was going on, and to talk among themselves about how to handle the situation. THese kids were sitting in class when the gunman entered, blasting away. No time for them to comprehend, much less develop a battle plan.
“Why didn’t they include the count of bullets that hit those who did not die?”
um, could be because the Medical Examiner only does autopsies on the dead ? just a thought ;)
From what I've read so far, it seems that Cho was a fast actor, entering the room and shooting immediately, with no warning or telegraphing his punches. The people on the airplane had 40-45 minutes to communicate. The students in the classroom had virtually no time to communicate.
I am 64 years old, 6’2” 265 lbs and after 9/11, I would heave myself onto an assailant regardless of how he was armed because I know I could save others. Maybe it’s its because I’m an ex jock I know that I can power anybody to the ground unless they are 275-350
Well I am only 5’9” 155lbs, but I can still come into someone pretty well also, so I know what you mean. Also he will have a harder time getting good hits in one you before you get to him.
Wish we would have had some of you guys on those planes. They would have gotten one or two nasty cuts in on you you with those box cutters..., and then goodnight terrorist.. ‘quik!’ sound of neck breaking.
Welcome aboard, my fellow citizen. We can make a difference if we stand together and fight as did our fathers, their fathers and their grandfathers for generations before us. My father fought in WWII, I lost several friends in Viet Nam. I mean it when I say I would have given my life to protect Professor Librescu, a Holacaust survivor, so he could tell his story. I am sick of liberal wimpyness. They would all be alive today, if we had real men in charge of things.
Multiculturalism strikes again.
It’s the same “reaction” that comes from liberals when this country is attacked by islamos can be applied to cho. If only we were nicer to cho this might have not happened. Some victims blame themselves.
Captain Kirk took out a whole planet with a single phaser.
Dial 911 and die.
I heard he was on antidepressants.
“I just do not understand why at least some of the students didn’t go after him.”
I’m so tired of hearing this type of remark. I guess it’s pretty difficult to come up with a defensive plan while one’s being fired at. Those that were attacked at a later time during the whole event did take action to try and protect themselves.
This gives an account of how events may have unfolded for the shooter and the students involved.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/18/AR2007041802824.html
The folks to sue is the VT administration.
Reasoning; lets’s say three citizens rob a stop and rob. One robber shoots the clerk and the clerk dies. In many states, all three could be charged with murder, although one actually did the killing.
Similar logic here. The VT admin. made it possible that a large killing could take place and did so deliberately or more than one occassion.
Recenetly, twice the VT admin. was applied to change their criminal enterprise zone policy and twice they decided the students were better off defenseless.
They should pay for that decision.
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