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| Virginia Tech students graduate | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| The US university where 32 students and staff were killed in a gun rampage has held its annual graduation ceremony. | |
| Thousands of students were honoured at Virginia Tech, where student Cho Seung-hui, 23, went on a shooting spree before killing himself. | |
| Some 5,000 students graduated at the ceremony, attended by 30,000 people. | |
| The 27 dead students are receiving posthumous degrees, and diplomas will be handed out at smaller ceremonies in individual colleges on Saturday. | |
| "Our hearts are saddened and our minds are troubled," Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said in an address to the graduates on Friday. | |
| The former commander of US armed forces in the Middle East, Gen John Abizaid, whose son attends the university, was the keynote speaker. | |
| "While we are saddened by the loss of those who cannot be here today, I believe that they would want this ceremony to commemorate both the tragedy of yesterday and the promise of tomorrow," he said. | |
| Security at the university in Blacksburg was heightened for the graduation weekend, with extra police deployed at the campus. | |
| "Virginia Tech remains under a state of alert since April 16th," said spokesman Mark Owczarski, adding that the visible police presence brings a "sense of safety and protection". | "Virginia Tech remains under a state of alert since April 16th," said spokesman Mark Owczarski, adding that the visible police presence brings a "sense of safety and protection". |
| In addition, he said Gen Abizaid "brings with him a degree of security". | In addition, he said Gen Abizaid "brings with him a degree of security". |
| President's tribute | President's tribute |
| Student Andrea Falletti, who received a degree in business management, said she would not let recent events overshadow the importance of the day. | |
| The gunman, Cho Seung-hui, was a student at the university | The gunman, Cho Seung-hui, was a student at the university |
| "Obviously, what has happened has affected everything in our lives, and it will affect graduation," she told AP news agency. | "Obviously, what has happened has affected everything in our lives, and it will affect graduation," she told AP news agency. |
| "In a way, it's not going to be celebrating us as much - it's more about what we've done as a community. But that's OK. I'm proud of what we've done here." | "In a way, it's not going to be celebrating us as much - it's more about what we've done as a community. But that's OK. I'm proud of what we've done here." |
| In Washington, President George W Bush issued a statement praising "the compassion and resilient spirit" of the university community | In Washington, President George W Bush issued a statement praising "the compassion and resilient spirit" of the university community |
| "Laura and I salute the Virginia Tech Class of 2007. We also remember the students and teachers whose lives were taken last month," he said. | "Laura and I salute the Virginia Tech Class of 2007. We also remember the students and teachers whose lives were taken last month," he said. |
| "They will always hold a special place in the hearts of this graduating class and an entire nation." | "They will always hold a special place in the hearts of this graduating class and an entire nation." |
| Cho killed 30 students and teachers, plus himself, at the university's Norris Hall complex on 16 April. He is also assumed to have killed two others at a university dormitory two hours earlier, as the same gun was used at both locations. |