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| Anger over US shooting warnings | Anger over US shooting warnings |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Survivors of the worst shooting rampage in US history have criticised authorities for waiting too long to alert people a gunman was on the loose. | Survivors of the worst shooting rampage in US history have criticised authorities for waiting too long to alert people a gunman was on the loose. |
| The rampage at Virginia Tech university killed 33 including a suspected gunman. | The rampage at Virginia Tech university killed 33 including a suspected gunman. |
| There were two hours between the two separate attacks, the second of which saw 31 deaths, and students have asked why the campus was not locked down. | There were two hours between the two separate attacks, the second of which saw 31 deaths, and students have asked why the campus was not locked down. |
| University officials defended their actions, saying they could not have foreseen the second incident. | University officials defended their actions, saying they could not have foreseen the second incident. |
| President George W Bush said the US was "shocked and saddened" by the attack at the university in the town of Blacksburg, home to 26,000 students. | President George W Bush said the US was "shocked and saddened" by the attack at the university in the town of Blacksburg, home to 26,000 students. |
| Motive unclear | Motive unclear |
| Many unanswered questions remain about the attacks. | Many unanswered questions remain about the attacks. |
| Police have still not said for sure that the two attacks were linked. They have confirmed that two handguns were recovered. | Police have still not said for sure that the two attacks were linked. They have confirmed that two handguns were recovered. |
| href="#map">See map of Virginia Tech campus | |
| They say they have a preliminary ID of the dead gunman but have not released it. There is no clue yet as to any motive. | They say they have a preliminary ID of the dead gunman but have not released it. There is no clue yet as to any motive. |
| Virginia Tech police chief Wendell Flinchum also refused to rule out the possibility of a co-conspirator. | Virginia Tech police chief Wendell Flinchum also refused to rule out the possibility of a co-conspirator. |
| The shooter shot the door twice at chest level, which resulted in two holes in the door, one of which hit the podium in the front of the classroom Nikolas Macko, student Shooter tried the door E-mail witness accounts | The shooter shot the door twice at chest level, which resulted in two holes in the door, one of which hit the podium in the front of the classroom Nikolas Macko, student Shooter tried the door E-mail witness accounts |
| "I'm not saying there is someone out there, and I'm not saying there is someone who is not," he said. | "I'm not saying there is someone out there, and I'm not saying there is someone who is not," he said. |
| Police have also not said whether the gunman was a student but witnesses said he seemed to know a lot about the buildings, chaining doors to stop students escaping. | Police have also not said whether the gunman was a student but witnesses said he seemed to know a lot about the buildings, chaining doors to stop students escaping. |
| One student, Erin Sheehan, described him as "a little bit under six feet tall, young looking, Asian, dressed sort of strangely, almost like a boy scout, very short-sleeved light, tan shirt and some sort of ammo vest with black over it". | One student, Erin Sheehan, described him as "a little bit under six feet tall, young looking, Asian, dressed sort of strangely, almost like a boy scout, very short-sleeved light, tan shirt and some sort of ammo vest with black over it". |
| Some students complained angrily that they had received no warning from the university until an e-mail more than two hours after the first incident. | Some students complained angrily that they had received no warning from the university until an e-mail more than two hours after the first incident. |
| There were no public-address announcements, they said. | There were no public-address announcements, they said. |
| Student Billy Bason, 18, said: "I think the university has blood on their hands because of their lack of action after the first incident." | Student Billy Bason, 18, said: "I think the university has blood on their hands because of their lack of action after the first incident." |
| Graduate student Erin Mabry said: "There was a two-hour gap between the two incidents. There is no excuse for a two-hour time gap with no information." | Graduate student Erin Mabry said: "There was a two-hour gap between the two incidents. There is no excuse for a two-hour time gap with no information." |
| But Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said: "We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur. | But Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said: "We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur. |
| "We can only make decisions based on the information you had at the time. You don't have hours to reflect on it." | "We can only make decisions based on the information you had at the time. You don't have hours to reflect on it." |
| Chief Flinchum said emergency services received a call at 0715 (1215 GMT) alerting them to a shooting at a dormitory - West Ambler Johnston Hall. | Chief Flinchum said emergency services received a call at 0715 (1215 GMT) alerting them to a shooting at a dormitory - West Ambler Johnston Hall. |
| The second shooting was at the engineering building, Norris Hall. | The second shooting was at the engineering building, Norris Hall. |
| Police said they thought the first incident was isolated and "domestic" and that the gunman had left the campus. | Police said they thought the first incident was isolated and "domestic" and that the gunman had left the campus. |
| Counsellors | Counsellors |
| Eyewitnesses said some students jumped from classroom windows to escape the gunfire, which triggered panic on campus. | Eyewitnesses said some students jumped from classroom windows to escape the gunfire, which triggered panic on campus. |
| WORST US SCHOOLS SHOOTINGS 1 August 1966 - Sniper Charles Whitman kills 14 people and injures dozens at University of Texas20 April 1999 - Two teenagers at Columbine High School, Colorado, kill 13 before killing themselves21 March 2005 - A teenager on an Indian reservation in Red Lake, Minnesota, kills nine In pictures: Virginia shootings In quotes: Shooting reaction Timeline: US school shootings | WORST US SCHOOLS SHOOTINGS 1 August 1966 - Sniper Charles Whitman kills 14 people and injures dozens at University of Texas20 April 1999 - Two teenagers at Columbine High School, Colorado, kill 13 before killing themselves21 March 2005 - A teenager on an Indian reservation in Red Lake, Minnesota, kills nine In pictures: Virginia shootings In quotes: Shooting reaction Timeline: US school shootings |
| Some of those locked down inside the university buildings were using the internet to try to glean information about what was happening and many e-mailed the BBC News website. | Some of those locked down inside the university buildings were using the internet to try to glean information about what was happening and many e-mailed the BBC News website. |
| Nikolas Macko described how his class in Norris Hall barricaded a door against the gunman. | Nikolas Macko described how his class in Norris Hall barricaded a door against the gunman. |
| "The shooter tried to open the door, but my classmates kept it well shut, as they held the table against it from floor level. | "The shooter tried to open the door, but my classmates kept it well shut, as they held the table against it from floor level. |
| "The shooter shot the door twice at chest level, which resulted in two holes in the door, one of which hit the podium in the front of the class room and the other continued out the window. At this point he reloaded, shot the door again - this shot did not penetrate - and moved on to the other classrooms," Mr Macko said. | "The shooter shot the door twice at chest level, which resulted in two holes in the door, one of which hit the podium in the front of the class room and the other continued out the window. At this point he reloaded, shot the door again - this shot did not penetrate - and moved on to the other classrooms," Mr Macko said. |
| Officials said counsellors were in place at the campus for student families. | Officials said counsellors were in place at the campus for student families. |
| The names of the victims have not been officially released but information has been trickling out and students are beginning to learn of the deaths of their friends. | The names of the victims have not been officially released but information has been trickling out and students are beginning to learn of the deaths of their friends. |
| The deadliest mass US shooting prior to the Virginia attack was in Texas in 1991 when George Hennard killed 23 people and himself in a cafeteria. | The deadliest mass US shooting prior to the Virginia attack was in Texas in 1991 when George Hennard killed 23 people and himself in a cafeteria. |
| The US also has a history of deadly school shootings. | The US also has a history of deadly school shootings. |
| In 1966, the day after killing his wife and mother, gunman Charles Whitman opened fire from a tower on the campus of the University of Texas killing 14 people and injuring 31 others. | In 1966, the day after killing his wife and mother, gunman Charles Whitman opened fire from a tower on the campus of the University of Texas killing 14 people and injuring 31 others. |
| In 1999 two teenagers at Columbine High School in Colorado killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives. | In 1999 two teenagers at Columbine High School in Colorado killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before taking their own lives. |
| Send us your comments VIRGINIA TECH CAMPUS 1. 0715, shooting reported at the dormitory building2. About two hours later a further shooting is reported | Send us your comments VIRGINIA TECH CAMPUS 1. 0715, shooting reported at the dormitory building2. About two hours later a further shooting is reported |
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| Are you in the area? Did you witness the shootings? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. If you have any pictures or video you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the area? Did you witness the shootings? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. If you have any pictures or video you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk. |
| Click here for more information on how to send your pictures | Click here for more information on how to send your pictures |