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US gunman 'a university student' US gunman 'a university student'
(40 minutes later)
A gunman who shot dead at least 30 people before killing himself at Virginia Tech university was a resident Asian student, its president has said. A gunman who shot dead at least 30 people before killing himself at a US university was an Asian student living there, the university president says.
Charles Steger did not identify the man, whom he said had been living in the university dormitories. Virginia Tech president Charles Steger did not identify the man, whom he said had lived in university dormitories.
Another two people were killed at an earlier shooting at the university. Mr Steger said police were investigating whether there had been a second gunman. Another two people were killed at an earlier shooting at the university. Mr Steger said police were investigating whether there were separate gunman.
The shootings were the worst such attack in US history.The shootings were the worst such attack in US history.
Students have accused the authorities of failing to alert them quickly enough to the danger. A memorial service was to be held at the university on Tuesday afternoon, which President George W Bush and his wife Laura were expected to attend.
Locations of Virginia Tech campus shootings Locations of Virginia Tech campus shootings
The shootings on Monday occurred in two separate locations, two hours apart.The shootings on Monday occurred in two separate locations, two hours apart.
In an interview with ABC television, Mr Steger said the "possibility exists" that more than one gunman was involved.
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 Send us your reactionThe 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 Send us your reaction
The first took place at 0715 (1215 GMT), at West Ambler Johnston Hall dormitory.
Then, at about 0915 (1415 GMT), 30 people were killed in the second shooting, about half a mile (800 metres) from the first, on the same campus.
In an interview with ABC television, Mr Steger said the "possibility exists" that more than one gunman was involved.
"It appears that the second shooter was a resident in our dormitory... it appears he was an on-campus resident," he said."It appears that the second shooter was a resident in our dormitory... it appears he was an on-campus resident," he said.
Thirty people were killed in the second shooting, at about 0915 (1415 GMT), which took place about half a mile (800 metres) from the first shooting on the same campus. 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 at 0715 (1215 GMT), at West Ambler Johnston Hall dormitory. VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY Founded in 187226,000+ students and 10,000 staff2,600-acre (1,040-hectare) campus class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/6562785.stm">US media soul-searching class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/6562529.stm">Q&A: Campus shooting class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/6563813.stm">Indian killed in rampage
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."
Mr Steger defended the university's actions after the initial shooting, saying: "We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur.Mr Steger defended the university's actions after the initial shooting, saying: "We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur.
VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY Founded in 187226,000+ students and 10,000 staff2,600-acre (1,040-hectare) campus Q&A: Campus shooting Indian killed in rampage
"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."
He described the shootings as "two very tragic events" that "may or may not" be related.He described the shootings as "two very tragic events" that "may or may not" be related.
Among the dead were profs Liviu Librescu (L) and GV Loganathan (R)
"We just don't know at this point in time," he said."We just don't know at this point in time," he said.
Police said they thought the first incident was isolated and "domestic" and that the gunman had left the campus. Police said they had thought the first incident was isolated and "domestic" and that the gunman had left the campus.
They have still not said for sure that the two attacks were linked. They have confirmed that two handguns were recovered.They have still not said for sure that the two attacks were linked. They have confirmed that two handguns were recovered.
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.
Erin Sheehan, a witness to the shooting in which 30 died, described the gunman 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".Erin Sheehan, a witness to the shooting in which 30 died, described the gunman 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".
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
Virginia Tech and police said they would not name the victims of the attacks until all had been identified, and their families informed.
However, some of the names of the victims emerged when their families or colleagues volunteered the information.
At least two of the dead were university professors.
One was GV Loganathan, 51, an Indian-born lecturer in civil and environmental engineering, and another was Liviu Librescu, a Romanian-born Israeli expert on aeronautical engineering.
LOCATIONS OF VIRGINIA TECH CAMPUS SHOOTINGS 1) 0715: Two killed at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dormitory building. Police believe incident isolated and "domestic" in nature2) 0945 (approx): 30 killed in shooting at engineering building, Norris Hall. Gunman kills himselfLOCATIONS OF VIRGINIA TECH CAMPUS SHOOTINGS 1) 0715: Two killed at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dormitory building. Police believe incident isolated and "domestic" in nature2) 0945 (approx): 30 killed in shooting at engineering building, Norris Hall. Gunman kills himself
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