Gruesome details emerge from press conference
CT News Staff
April 26 2007
Seung-Hui Cho fired over 170 rounds in nine minutes at Norris Hall last Monday and shot himself in the head among his victims, authorities said in a press conference held yesterday afternoon.
More details were released about the shooting incidents, but police still do not know what Cho's motives were.
"We certainly don't have any one motive that we are pursuing at this particular time, or that we have been able to pull together and formulate," said Col. Steve Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police. "It's frustrating because it's so personal, because we see the families and see the communities suffering, and we see they want answers."
Cho chained shut three main entrances to Norris Hall on Monday. It was to prevent anyone from escaping and to make it difficult for police to stop the shootings, Flaherty said.
"Based on an incredible amount of evidence we've collected from both scenes we feel like we are able to share with you some of the steps that Cho took," Flaherty said.
Thirty-one people were killed in the Norris Hall shootings including the gunman and another 25 were injured, said Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum. Two others were killed in the West Ambler-Johnston Hall shootings earlier in the day, but authorities still have not determined whether the two incidents are related.
It took officers three minutes to respond to a 911 call. The first report to the police about the shooting in Norris was made at 9:42 a.m on Monday. So far, investigators have collected over 500 evidence samples.
Flinchum said that he believed Cho had class in Norris this semester and that he was familiar with the building before the shootings.
Cho purchased a .22 caliber handgun from a Blacksburg dealer in early February and a .9 mm handgun from a dealer in Roanoke in March. Authorities did not release information about where the purchases were made.
He practiced at a couple of different ranges in the area, but police would not release information about specific locations.
Officers were also able to determine that faculty, staff and students blocked doors with furniture to prevent Cho from entering classrooms, Flinchum said.
Flaherty also said there was some live ammunition found in Norris.
Cho made the package that was mailed to NBC in New York before April 16 and mailed it between both shooting incidents, and authorities also revealed that Cho returned to his residence hall between them as well.
Flaherty said that investigators still have not found evidence to link Cho to his first victims. Even though police have searched e-mail and phone records of Emily Hilscher, the first victim in the WAJ shooting, they have not found any information yet revealing a connection.
Flinchum said that he believed Ryan Clark, the resident advisor in WAJ, responded to the commotion that other residents responded to that morning during the shooting before he was killed.
Cho was observed outside of WAJ waiting or standing, Flinchum said. His actions inside the building are still being investigated.
No information has been revealed about how the victims were killed from the medical examiner.
Larry Hincker, associate vice president of university relations, said that this conference was the last planned briefing for the next week.