During the nation's deadliest campus shootings nearly three years ago, Virginia Tech officials locked down some administrative buildings and warned their own families more than 90 minutes before alerting the rest of campus, according to revisions to the state's official report on the tragedy.
An addendum to the August 2007 report, originally obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, discloses that at least two university officials who were part of a crisis-response team notified family members about the shooting of two students in a dormitory and that some offices, including the president's, were locked well before the rest of campus was informed.
Officials did not issue a universitywide alert that a shooter was at large until minutes before the gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, opened fire in a classroom building, killing 30 students and professors. They also failed to contact the family of one of the first victims for more than three hours, until after she had died.
The amended report found that Virginia Tech had two different emergency-alert policies in effect when the shootings took place, which contributed to the delay.
The revision, which also notes that the university's counseling center had received mental-health and hospitalization records about Mr. Cho, does not change the state panel's conclusions or recommendations.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, who appointed the commission that prepared the original report, ordered the review in response to complaints by victims' family members.
Comments
1. dmaratto - December 04, 2009 at 02:16 pm
Disgraceful
2. 22280998 - December 04, 2009 at 04:02 pm
The new corporate university. Administrators looking after themselves.
3. 11180655 - December 04, 2009 at 04:28 pm
The transcript of the 2 hour administration meeting that took place, as events were unfolding and leading to the horrific result, needs to be released. It would show the focus of discussions was on spin control, putting the university's image ahead of the welfare of the students. But they were worried enough to protect themselves and their families.
Don't forget Steger laughing while throwing out the first pitch at a Yankees game.
4. 22228715 - December 05, 2009 at 07:00 am
To this point, I have generally had some sympathy with the leaders during this incident, which must have been horrific and confusing, and as such, one of their first impulses must have been to slow down and gather information (that's what academics do when confused.)
But, if true... this report changes some of my feelings about that.
5. 22228715 - December 07, 2009 at 03:14 pm
Well, now that I've re-read the whole report... it's not as damning as the Chronicle summary implies. Indeed, it dispells some of the greater criticisms of the general public.
The issue of delay in notifying the parents of the first victims is noted, but the agents in the sentence are both the university and the hospital. Generally, when someone is in critical condition or deceased, it is the hospital or police who notifies next of kin.
Bottom line - read the report, rather than swallow whole the Chronicle summary.