Shots fired at Virginia Tech (AP: 33 dead, 15 wounded)

http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/story.php?relyear=2007&itemno=248 ^

[LexHoskin]

Gunman on Campus; Stay inside your building, away from windows; Shooting incident at West Ambler Johnston Hall

[CharlesWayneCT]

Bookmark in case we don’t start another thread tomorrow.

[timer]

Love God, Love your neighbor; even love your enemies. Too bad there is such evil in the world, such hatred that destroys minds and lives. And yet out of this tragedy may come some good. We know that when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. And so a golden opportunity arises for Virginia Conservatives, a motto : “33 students died by bullets = 33 liberal legislators die by ballots”. Good hunting...

[CedarDave]

From the NY Slimes:

Virginia imposes few restrictions on the purchase of handguns and no requirement for any kind of licensing or training. The state does limit handgun purchases to one per month to discourage bulk buying and resale, state officials said.

Once a person had passed the required background check, state law requires that law enforcement officers issue a concealed carry permit to anyone who applies. However, no regulations and no background checks are required for purchase of weapons at a Virginia gun show.

“Virginia’s gun laws are some of the weakest state laws in the country,” said Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. “And where there have been attempts to make some changes, a backdoor always opens to get around the changes, like the easy access at gun shows.”

32 Shot Dead on Virginia Tech Campus

[Dolphy]

Somewhere on this thread there is a link to that site...the guy might not deserve the national attention but he sure wanted some kind of attention given his posts.

[LenS]

The Columbine killers wasted a lot of time in the cafeteria attempting to blow up their jury-rigged explosives. They also spent some time tormenting their victim (easier to know people in a smaller high school population). This scum didn’t seem to waste much time — he just kept moving and shooting.

[USMCPOP]

But on the same BATF FAQ sheet, item B5 says: “B5) Are there certain persons who cannot legally receive or possess firearms and/or ammunition? ...Yes, a person who ... (5) Is an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States or an alien admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa;”

So, aliens with immigrant visas are OK, those aliens with temporary visas are generally not, EXCEPT for the exception in USC Title 18 section 922:

(y) Provisions Relating to Aliens Admitted Under Nonimmigrant
Visas. -
(1) Definitions. - In this subsection -
(A) the term “alien” has the same meaning as in section
101(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(3)); and
(B) the term “nonimmigrant visa” has the same meaning as in
section 101(a)(26) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1101(a)(26)).

(2) Exceptions. - Subsections (d)(5)(B), (g)(5)(B), and
(s)(3)(B)(v)(II) do not apply to any alien who has been lawfully
admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa, if that
alien is -
(A) admitted to the United States for lawful hunting or
sporting purposes or is in possession of a hunting license or
permit lawfully issued in the United States;
(B) an official representative of a foreign government who is
-
(i) accredited to the United States Government or the
Government’s mission to an international organization having
its headquarters in the United States; or
(ii) en route to or from another country to which that
alien is accredited;

(C) an official of a foreign government or a distinguished
foreign visitor who has been so designated by the Department of
State; or
(D) a foreign law enforcement officer of a friendly foreign
government entering the United States on official law
enforcement business.

(3) Waiver. -
(A) Conditions for waiver. - Any individual who has been
admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa may
receive a waiver from the requirements of subsection (g)(5), if
-
(i) the individual submits to the Attorney General a
petition that meets the requirements of subparagraph (C); and
(ii) the Attorney General approves the petition.

(B) Petition. - Each petition under subparagraph (B) shall -
(i) demonstrate that the petitioner has resided in the
United States for a continuous period of not less than 180
days before the date on which the petition is submitted under
this paragraph; and
(ii) include a written statement from the embassy or
consulate of the petitioner, authorizing the petitioner to
acquire a firearm or ammunition and certifying that the alien
would not, absent the application of subsection (g)(5)(B),
otherwise be prohibited from such acquisition under
subsection (g).

(C) Approval of petition. - The Attorney General shall
approve a petition submitted in accordance with this paragraph,
if the Attorney General determines that waiving the
requirements of subsection (g)(5)(B) with respect to the
petitioner -
(i) would be in the interests of justice; and
(ii) would not jeopardize the public safety.

[Windcatcher]

I call BS. Apparently there is video that these guns were bought at a standard gun shop — by someone else. The NY Slimes can stick THAT in their pipes and smoke it.

[Freedom2specul8]

I’ve not been online very much (lots of things going on here on the homefront)... am sorry to see that random acts of “comments” are virtually attacked.....

Good to see you.

[jeffers]

I can’t stand the idea that people would feel great pain over my death.

I’ve lived every day the best I knew how, and had a hell of a time doing it.

I felt the same way, though perhaps not as well focused, at 18.

I think you’d also abhor your friends hurting over your loss.

Celebrate this man’s life, short as it was.

[Palladin]

A professor who was an Israeli citizen is among the dead:

Israeli killed in Virginia massacre identified as Prof. Liviu Librescu

Published: 04.17.07, 07:09 / Israel News

An Israeli citizen, Prof. Liviu Librescu, is among those killed in the shooting attack at Virginian Tech Monday, Ynet has learned.

Librescu has been living in the United States for several years. His family was notified of his death. (Yitzhak Benhorin, Washington

[Fido969]

The Live Journal guy is harmless. Ted Kennedy’s car killed more people than the Live Journal guy did.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I’ve been tracking it all day, except for a bit of gardening and grocery shopping. It is truly one of those dark days.

[af_vet_rr]

Is it me or is this sickening to watch? Her friend is dead, for God’s sake!

It reminded me of Shepherd Smith when he was interviewing the family of an Israeli soldier who had been kidnapped before the war last summer. Smith kept hammering away at them, asking them questions as if he wanted them to just break down in tears. It was so disgusting and left such a bad taste in my mouth that I rarely watch Faux after that.

The South Park where Cartman did horrible things to a kid and then licked up the kid's tears as he was crying, saying how sweet they tasted - that reminds me of Shepherd Smith (Captain Mascara) and Whorealdo completely.

[Sender]

I was just watching some criminal profiler named Pat something or other on CNN. She started out saying that if someone in that classroom had had a gun, things might have come out different. The shooter might have had a second thought.

The CNN interviewer pressed her, "So you are saying that if more private citizens were armed, it might prevent or limit incidents like this?" (paraphrasing)

"Yes," said Pat, "I am one of those." I was intrigued.

Then in the next breath, the very same Pat started unloading on violent video games and that "parents who keep guns and let kids get ahold of them" would not be properly prosecuted, and "as long as we keep letting kids get access to guns" these things would happen.

So I am confused, "Pat", is it that arming private citizens would prevent massacres, or that allowing private citizens access to guns is the problem?

It was a rather schizophrenic position to say the least.

They keep repeating "the worst shooting in US history!". Fox news is about as bad, trumpeting the same headline.

Good thing I bought more items before this happened. I shudder to think of the future of freedom if Democrats take over the White House. It may not even require that to happen.

[Fido969]

Anyway, there are a variety of pics of cuffed (not "arrested", there's a difference) asian men outside the building floating around.

Juiced up cops, hyped-up media, if I were an "Asian guy" I'd lock myself in the basement for a day or so.

[Quix]

Thanks for your kind words. Kind of goes with the territory of being me. LOL.

Please FREEPMAIL me about anything I can pray for on your home front.

LUB,
BLPH,
Qx

[Oliver Optic]

We won't be the least bit mousy about the fact that they *are* trying to take advantage. If they want a gun-control fight, then by God, they'll get one.

We won't ... but I'm not so sure about our GOP stalwarts in Washington.

If they go into "yes-we-voted-against-gun-control-but-we're-really-pretty-nice-people" mode, this could get ugly.

If this is going to be politicized, it's time to go on offense. And that House of Delegates bill you mentioned is weapon #1.

[Ptarmigan]

Fred Phelps strikes again. Sick, sick, sick.

[Windcatcher]

Nite all. I can’t stress this enough — the gun-control nuts will be on every network come tomorrow, mark my words. If we respond it had better be with everything we’ve got and no gloves on the hands. The viciousness of the left over the coming days will be shocking.

[kcvl]

Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence

Mr. Horwitz is a lawyer with a background in torts and civil rights