SHANE IS SAFE

[gabe]

i searched the guys name on facebook

there was a group called 'forgive chung so' with 20 members and a group called 'fuck chung so' with abuot 900 members.

[Galapogos]

i searched the guys name on facebook

there was a group called 'forgive chung so' with 20 members and a group called 'fuck chung so' with abuot 900 members.

Yeah I saw that on Facebook too. Who can seriously forgive that? I was shocked to see that group had that many members. Awful.

[a500lbgorilla]

Just came back from the assembly thing where the president spoke. It ended with a "Let's Go Hokies!" chant.

I'm feeling real good right now. The whole time that's all I wanted to do was blurt it out and get a chant going. The mood in that place was so somber, everyone really needed it.

[a500lbgorilla]

The entire campus today was covered in news reports too. I took a stroll around campus trying to score one of the Collegiate Times papers for today and sneaking a peak at norris hall but everyone I went there were reports.

It was windy and you know how wind can sometimes make you teary eyed? Well, I was just walking and a reporter came up to me and asked "How are you doing?" "Fine." "Trying to pick up the pieces?" "...Yah (?!?!?!)"

Anyway, I've done a bunch of interviews becuase I was kind of interested in begin interviewed and seeing what it was like. The first I did for the Daily Iowan, I'll past it in the next post. The guy who interviewed me was real cool and didn't try to lead me anywhere. When I told him that I hadn't really thought about something but would respond, he said "That's alright. I don't want you to go somewhere you don't want to go." So he was really cool. I think he missunderstood me when we were talking about gun control. I was previously for a gun ban on campus but wasn't for gun control otherwise. No biggie.

I also did one for NPR. We were headed to this thing today (I wish I knew what to call it. Essentially an assembly with the Prez) I was with my friends Rob, Missy and Ashley and they all wanted to do the interview so I joined in. NPR was also real cool with their questions, nothing that ticked me off or was worded in any way that would make me not want to answer. If I could figure out how to get NPR podcasts, I'd link that.

Anyway, for anyone who's interested. Here's the article they wrote about me and my buddy Mike Kime.

[a500lbgorilla]

At 9:05 a.m., Virginia Tech junior Shane O'Connell said he walked into his compressible aerodynamic lecture "concerned" about how he would finish all of his classwork due that week.

His concerns would soon be turned to something else.

Nearing the end of class, O'Connell said, students began to rush to the windows, shouting to their nearby classmates to come look as well.

When O'Connell arrived, he could not believe his sight.

"Someone said they heard at least 25 gunshots," the junior told The Daily Iowan. "At first I didn't believe her. But there was a tremendous number of SWAT team [members]. Just a tremendous response. The number of weapons I saw just didn't seem real to me."

The entire classroom was ordered to remain at Randolph Hall, which is located behind Norris Hall - the scene of the shootings. And when word reached them that an unknown assailant had fatally shot at least 20 across the campus, a sober silence befell the room, O'Connell said.

"I have never been in a room where everyone was trying not to cry," he said. "We were 50 paces away from 20 people losing their lives. You are so close to it, and you think what you would do, but what would you do? You just hope he doesn't shoot you or you die."

Norris Hall, an engineering building, is one of more than 100 university buildings on the Blacksburg, Va., campus, which spans 2,600 acres and also includes an airport.

Farther away from the massacre, at a different university building, sat a tired Michael Kime in his 9:05 a.m. psychology class. The junior said he was still longing for the just-passed weekend when he exited the building and was confronted with pandemonium.

" 'Get back in that building,' " a police officer screamed at him, Kime recalled.

Within 30 seconds of Kime's exit, he said the cops hurled him and others back into the building - but not before Kime saw and heard the shooting from 200 yards away.

Like O'Connell, Kime couldn't believe what had happened.

"It seemed surreal," said Kime, a Laurel, Md., native. "I just thought, 'It can't be right, it must be a mistake.' It is just sickening. You don't think something like this would happen so close to you."

Although the first shootings occurred around 7 a.m. at a dormitory, Kime said he had no idea about those initial victims until he was released from class at 9:55 a.m.

Kime's father, William Kime, said his son was the first person to tell him about the killings, and after relief swept through him, surprise surged in.

"This is a campus that is the middle of nowhere," William Kime said. "It is relatively quiet, even though it is a big school."

He noted, however, that he is not nervous about sending any of his other children to the Big East school.

"This could have happened anywhere," he said. "And certainly, it has in the past. It is the society we live in. We live in the United States. We are a free country, and I am afraid that sometimes these things happen."

In total, the shooter killed 32 people and himself, according to the Associated Press.

Now, the streets of Blacksburg have become vacant, O'Connell said. And most are "zombified" in front of the television, waiting to see how high the death count will reach.

O'Connell said the shootings he witnessed has made him reconsider his stance on gun control. He was formerly in favor of gun-restriction laws, but now his beliefs have changed.

"It is the only time in my life that I actually wanted a gun for protection," he said, his voice agitated. "I have never understood why you would want a gun for protection, but it seemed like the only thing that could have helped somebody."

Ge Wang, a former UI professor who left the university to pursue a job teaching engineering at Virginia Tech in 2006, said he thinks gun-restriction laws should be enforced, "especially [on] campuses."

But "my impression has been that the VT system is very efficient and effective," the professor said in an e-mail.

O'Connell said he won't allow this situation to frighten him from walking around campus because he believes another shooting will never happen again at the university.

But not all will likely be as calm as he, O'Connell said, noting that the shooting could severely cut enrollment at Virginia Tech, which currently boasts a student population of more than 25,000.

"I feel like anytime I mention I graduated from Virginia Tech, it will now be 'oh the Virginia Tech massacre', " O'Connell said. "I will now be identified with that for the rest of my days."

[IowaSkinsFan]

Great quotes, very good article.

[BoondockSaint]

I think its time to pass on LIVE BOON.

LIVE RILLA

[givememyleg]

good article

[a500lbgorilla]

I think its time to pass on LIVE BOON.

LIVE RILLA

No thanks.

I like the effort *bro grabs*

I can say that I feel a lot better about the whole scenario than I did yesterday. The candle light visual was beyond awesome. We basically did all the cheers we could think of and the Drill Field (huge) was packed with students. I have a video of the tailend of the whole thing that I'll post when I get a chance. But now I'm just headed home. And I'd like to see this thread die.

[lolzzz_321]

Thanks for thinking of me when you though of Flashbangs.

[a500lbgorilla]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=9626738

Around minute 4 Me, robbie, ashley and missy.

[Xianti]

And I'd like to see this thread die.

Entirely up to you, 'rilla. Go ahead and Bin it whenever you want.

[a500lbgorilla]

i'll bin it tomorrow when i get home

[boost]

the prez was doing the school chant? this seems strange to me, not sure why. I never was the school spirit type I guess.

anyways, good to know that youre ok man. ISF im'd me and asked if yo uwere ok, and that was the first I heard of all this. So I was all like "damn yo, hope rillas ok" Then george was like "rillas ok" and I was all like "well thats good."

[swiggidy]

I think it would suck to bin this, but obv it's up to you.

[gabe]

you the man shane

[mrhappy333]

I think it would suck to bin this, but obv it's up to you.

same feeling here.

[Rabid Dog]

Glad your alright rilla. Thats a sad situation.

the prez was doing the school chant? this seems strange to me, not sure why. I never was the school spirit type I guess.

The president should loose his job over this. That 2 hour lapse before warning people with an email is simply uncalled for and rediculus. Yesterday at OU (Oklahoma) someone reported seeing a person carrying a rifle. The president immediately called for a lock down and personally was going around to every classroom informing students and faculty of the lockdown. Im sure others were helping him. Turned out it was just a guy carrying an umbrella. If there is a shooting on a campus (or anywhere for that matter) there should be an immediate lockdown until the shooter is identified and had no accomplises beyond a shadow of doubt.

[a500lbgorilla]

The school prez got a standing ovation for several minutes. Most of the student body rallies behind him knowing he would never put us in any danger. Like I said, things could have gone differently but someone made a good point yesterday.

Assuming Cho killed for no reason, campus lockdown or not, he's going to find people to kill. You'd have to catch him with the weapons and some how subdue him without a fire fight for the whole thing to be avoided without loss of life.

[flomo]

happy to hear that you are alright

[IowaSkinsFan]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070418/..._tech_shooting

Wow this is really fucked up.

[euphoricism]

I can't imagine being a police officer in any one of those buildings. Standing in a hallway, unsure of what really is going on -- one shooter? More? Where is he? Standing in the hallway, awaiting whatever hell is going to come around the corner at any second. Waiting, waiting waiting, willing to give your life - perfectly willing to selflessly DIE on just the small hope of protecting however many kids are locked in the rooms behind you. Knowing youre their last line of defense if hell rains down like a torrential flood.

Here's to them all. The ones who are hated by most they deal with, but are willing to die for them just the same.

And here's to you Virginia Tech. May the tragedy that befell you strengthen you all and bind you in unprecedented comradery. May the "Lets go Hokies" chant no longer be merely a chant meant to encourage the athletes on the field, but a chant meant to encourage all who hear it. You're there for them, and them you and together you can and do all things. An unspoken bond that when things go bad you will be there for each other. Lets go hokies, lets go.

Cheers.

[XTR1000]

wow, just realized whats going on here, didnt watch tv yesterday. glad you´re okay rilla. cant even imagine what this experience feels like, keep ya head up buddy.

[mrhappy333]

I can't imagine being a police officer in any one of those buildings. Standing in a hallway, unsure of what really is going on -- one shooter? More? Where is he? Standing in the hallway, awaiting whatever hell is going to come around the corner at any second. Waiting, waiting waiting, willing to give your life - perfectly willing to selflessly DIE on just the small hope of protecting however many kids are locked in the rooms behind you. Knowing youre their last line of defense if hell rains down like a torrential flood.

Here's to them all. The ones who are hated by most they deal with, but are willing to die for them just the same.

And here's to you Virginia Tech. May the tragedy that befell you strengthen you all and bind you in unprecedented comradery. May the "Lets go Hokies" chant no longer be merely a chant meant to encourage the athletes on the field, but a chant meant to encourage all who hear it. You're there for them, and them you and together you can and do all things. An unspoken bond that when things go bad you will be there for each other. Lets go hokies, lets go.

Cheers.

!!Nice post euphoricism

[midas06]

In China, heard about this on the only english tv station here, thought of you immediately.

Glad you're safe Shane

[Warpe]

Glad you're safe Shane

[Trikflow77]

yeah it freaked me out when i saw this on the news, the first thing I did was look on here to see if you had posted. This whole thing is horrible, and i cant even imagine how your school is going to be able to deal with it. I am glad you are safe sir.

[a500lbgorilla]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dap6lJblJA4

[a500lbgorilla]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9s3yO4CDD...elated&search=

[a500lbgorilla]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp3TJ1xBcBI&NR=1

beautiful

[IowaSkinsFan]

It's funny how the one with the music makes it ten times even more dramatic than it already is.

[IowaSkinsFan]

It's good that your student body isn't like "wow the prez fucked up, VT sucks."

[mrhappy333]

This is why NASCAR rocks!!

NASCAR to display Virginia Tech logos on race cars


April 18, 2007

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- NASCAR will allow race cars to display the Virginia Tech logo for the next three weeks in tribute to the victims of this week's shootings at the school.

The logo will be displayed against a black background on the area just to the right of the driver's side window net on cars in both the Nextel Cup and Busch series at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday and Saturday, Talladega Superspeedway (April 28-29) and Richmond International Raceway (May 4-5).

Also, entries in the Craftsman Truck Series event April 28 at Kansas Speedway will display the logo.

``Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their family members, their friends -- and the entire Virginia Tech community,'' said NASCAR chairman Brian France. ``We wanted to make a simple, but strong, gesture of remembrance. We are grateful the university gave us clearance to display their logo.''

[gabe]

if theres one thing we are good at here at UVA (besides all sports, reading books and drinking of course), its painting bridges

http://mail.google.com/mail/?attid=0...209d3b396d4833

[IowaSkinsFan]

You realize you just linked an attachment in your email?

[gabe]

damn, didnt even look at the url

[gabe]

does this work

http://photos-968.ak.facebook.com/ph...47968_1108.jpg

[a500lbgorilla]

high5!
bro grabs!

[cardsman1992]

Just back in town after being away from my computer for a few days.

Tragic and senseless.....

Keep your chin up--my prayers are there at VT.

Glad you were safe--when I saw this on Monday I thought about you and prayed you were not in that building.

[Pelion]

beautiful

[ProZachNation]

Glad to hear you are safe man, the whole nation is supporting you guys.

[sandstorm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp3TJ1xBcBI&NR=1

beautiful

wow

[Borgib]

This is at the Highschool where I teach. I thought it was a great turnout for support.

[ensign_lee]

wow. Very cool Borgib.

[a500lbgorilla]

This is at the Highschool where I teach. I thought it was a great turnout for support.

This is awesome. Where is this highschool located?

[XTR1000]

We live in the United States. We are a free country, and I am afraid that sometimes these things happen.

I admire US citizen for statements like this.