Survivor uses experience to strengthen gun-control
Wednesday, April 16, 2008; 12:00 AM
Elilta Habtu spent the morning of April 16 checking her e-mail constantly, convinced that classes would be canceled because it was so cold.

As a second semester senior, her morning routine was simple. She would study, go to class, and hang out with friends.

"I was not worried about things," Elilta said. "Blacksburg was one of the safest places on Earth, so I was just enjoying life."

At 8:50 a.m. she walked to her German class in Norris Hall 207. Elilta was looking forward to graduating, and though she didn't want to go to class because of the frigid outside air, she took her seat in the front row at 9:05 a.m., as she would on any other day.

The multiple visits from Seung-Hui Cho that morning, as he planned his attack, were serious distractions.

"The first time was innocent, the second was annoying," Elilta said. "He looked like he was looking for someone; it was that long of an interruption."

Elilta said that the distractions seemed innocent, and though it twice broke their attention, it was not until gunshots rang out in room 207 that reality set in.

"For five seconds I sat there watching him, thinking it wasn't real," Elilta said. "I didn't realize it was real until I saw blood. The last thing I remember was ducking under the desk. I was still in denial, but my body was just reacting. I was sitting in the front row, right in the middle, just staring at him."

Though Elilta suffered multiple injuries, adrenaline and shock set in while shooting was underway.

"I didn't know I was shot in the wrist until I looked down," Elilta said. "I felt being shot in the head, but not in the jaw. I was conscious throughout the entire thing, because I was so aware of what was going on. I was kind of paralyzed because of shock."

As Cho exited the classroom, only to attempt to return, Elilta found herself unable to move. She witnessed several students from her class spring to action.

"I was so surprised that Erin Sheehan, Katelyn Carney and Derek O'Dell were up and running to hold the door," Elilta said. "I wasn't able to do something like that, and I don't think I would have thought of that. If he was able to go back in, well, we saw the damage; we wouldn't be here."

Only able to look around, Elilta began to notice the extent of her injuries, though she was convinced they were all minor.

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Posted by: Disgruntled Hokie at 6/11/08 If Elilta Habtu had anything upstairs she would be questioning why Virginia Tech didn't do anything to address such a problematic student, instead of going after gun ownership. More pathetic brainwashing.... Go Hokies Indeed ] Flag Abuse
Posted by: Anonymous at 5/02/08 i don't think this could have been titled better: "Survivor USES experience to strengthen gun-control" ~ haven't dozens and dozens of studies shown that gun control measures have no effect on crime? Flag Abuse
Posted by: Anonymous at 4/30/08 lol.. you couldnt get out 2 sentences without contradicting yourself. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Anonymous at 4/30/08 "Oooh, if only I had my gun I could have saved all those lives instead of hiding under my desk like a pathetic..blah..blah." Don't forget to take your parachute on EVERY flight you take or for that matter every time you go up a high rise building...since the odds are about the same. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Psychology Hokie at 4/30/08 You have to remember, psychology teaches us about victim mentalities. They do not want to see something change that might have saved them had it been in place - to create a "hero" if you will. That would make them feel like they were cheated and that someone else could be saved by their pain. Rather, they more "enjoy" going after their attakers and trying to make them go away. I mean, put yourself in their shoes - would you want to admit someone else could have been the hero? Flag Abuse
Posted by: Brandon Wilson at 4/29/08 i know this was a terrible experience for Elilta Habtu. but my suggestion is start lobbying for letting CHP on campus. im tired of stupid politicians and university officials making paper policies and making us feel safe. i want to be safe and not just feel safe. my suggestion to Elilta is, you found out the hard way that laws and policies on paper do no good in the real world. there is one thing that does and it is Concealed carry on Campus. you'll never know if one of us could've prevented you from going through that terrible experience, because the university wont give us the chance. look where the policies got Elilta. i refuse to go down without a fight. real lives are at stake and the only people willing to fight for their right to live are concealed carry holders. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Brandon Wilson at 4/29/08 i like the statement that I sat there and watched cho for 5 seconds. 5 SECONDS! and everybody said that if someone was carring a concealed weapons it would have done no good. 5 seconds is a long time. in 5 seconds i could've drawn and emptyied my entire mag of .45's into Cho's pathetic body. the shooting would've ended there. and you better believe me, cause i can put a group of 2" from 10 yards away. gun control laws were in place at the time of the incident, they failed, but have since been corrected. the answer isn't more gun control. Campus is a gun free zone, looked how that worked out. the answer isn't trying to enforce campus policy because that will never work in the real world. the answer is to let those with CHP carry on campus. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Brandon Wilson at 4/29/08 i like the statement that I sat there and watched cho for 5 seconds. 5 SECONDS! and everybody said that if someone was carring a concealed weapons it would have done no good. 5 seconds is a long time. in 5 seconds i could've drawn and emptyied my entire mag of .45's into Cho's pathetic body. the shooting would've ended there. and you better believe me, cause i can put a group of 2" from 10 yards away. gun control laws were in place at the time of the incident, they failed, but have since been corrected. the answer isn't more gun control. Campus is a gun free zone, looked how that worked out. the answer isn't trying to enforce campus policy because that will never work in the real world. the answer is to let those with CHP carry on campus. Flag Abuse
Posted by: NRAHokie at 4/20/08 UK Hokie, you only need look at your own country where private gun ownership is virtually non existent, yet gun crime continues to rise. Gun laws were not the issue here. Had the information on the shooters dementia been properly reported, the sales would never have occurred, but that always gets conveniently left out of articles in the media. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Brian Wheeler Vt senior at 4/20/08 Lets make gun ownership in the USA illegal. Outlaw them outright. That way no one will have guns to kill with. Just like illegal drugs. No one gets high anymore. Look the UKs violent crime with a weapon statistics per capita after every major gun control law passed through parliament. The goal was to make it go down... It didnt. You make guns illegal, and you are only taking them out of law abiding citizens hands. Even if the mental background check system worked in Cho's case, he still could have gotten a firearm to kill with illegally. "If guns kill people, do pencils misspell words?" Flag Abuse
Posted by: John H at 4/18/08 If you ask me this article should not have been posted. It only brought flames to the gun debate on a day for remembrance. And I can't help but wonder why she mentioned nothing of how she was promoting gun control. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Jo Morton at 4/18/08 I studied at Tech for a semester in 2001 and was shocked to find the toy section in Walmart in such close proximity to ammunition and weapons. My Father was in the British Army for 40 years so I am not unused to seeing weapons being carried my trained professional soldiers. Trained and professional being the operative words here. I have to agree with Francis when he says that "the gun epidemic is America's shame." America is a great country but the ease with which one can buy and use a gun is very sad. Perhaps if US gun laws were tightened tragedies like April last year would be fewer. It is certainly worth giving it a go. UK Hokie Flag Abuse
Posted by: Steve Miller at 4/18/08 Gun control is NOT the issue. Virginia Tech's refusal to spend financial resources to better address Cho's psychologial problems before he went over the edge is. Virginia Tech is all about raking in the money, but they dont want to spend any to insure student welfare. Putting the new locking system on dormitory doors was a political save face gesture, and not the answer! Taking better care of their campus watch security and police department personnel and providing them with the equipment they need to get the job done is, but tech doesn't want to spend the money plain and simple. Why is campus watch still running around with radios so old they can't hold a charge? Flag Abuse
Posted by: Anonymous at 4/17/08 pro2a, "very sad" is none other than Ladd Everitt, Director of Communications, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, who has been attacking SCCC for the past week or so. Apparent jealousy that SCCC was classy enough to avoid 4/16 but his groups (like ProtestEasyGun) weren't. From recent news, it looks that most SCCC members are friends and family of victims, so I think he's being a bit hypocritical! Flag Abuse
Posted by: pro2a at 4/17/08 francis, fear of guns is a mental illness. very sad, what are you talking about? sccc was commended by vt administration today for not doing anything regarding their cause. you just keep telling yourself that disagreeing and attacking are the same thing, and putting victims out as your front when those so-called attacks come. shameful, just like the protest. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Gina at 4/16/08 People are mixing apples and oranges. We need the 2nd amendment rights to be able to protect ourselves, and we also need to be more aware of people with serious mental illness. Flag Abuse
Posted by: francis at 4/16/08 Time to call gun ownership obsession what it really is...a mental illness. The gun industry benefits with every new nut. The gun epidemic is America's shame. Flag Abuse
Posted by: OldHokie at 4/16/08 She has a personality type that freezes up instead of taking action when in mortal danger, cannot comprehend that bad things happen in the real world, and has PTSD. Typical profile for a Brady organization member. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Very Sad at 4/16/08 Very sad that the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus crowd would be taking cheap shots at one of the survivors today. I guess anger and hatred don't take days off, April 16 or not. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Anonymous at 4/16/08 hey Steph and ?, note that the CT published all these gun related articles today, despite being asked not to. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Anonymous at 4/16/08 agreed Steph. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Brandon Stone at 4/16/08 John, Forget "legally registered". When obtaining a firearm, a gun-owner should do all that he can to get the weapon off-paper...legal or not. Remember the 2nd Amendment's true purpose: To keep the government under control. Over 100,000,000 people have been systematically slaughtered by their own governments in the last century alone. And it often came after gun-registration/confiscation. When it comes to Keeping and Bearing Arms, people make the mistake of thinking the only bad guys they are going to need their weapon for are the common street-thug, and thus it is ok to accept things like permits, licenses, background checks and "requirements". They forget that they may have to defend themselves against one of history's most notorious killers: Governments. In fact the ONLY reason guns are an issue today, are because their are the predictable tyrants that want the people disarmed for the sake of control. If we fail to remember this, we may find ourselves going to the way of many other genocidal victims. We must get rid of the NICS, 4473s, licenses/permits. Sincerely, Brandon Stone CD'A, Idaho Flag Abuse
Posted by: Steph at 4/16/08 You all need to SHUT. UP. Not today. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Wesley at 4/16/08 Caleb this is article number 3 where you talk at length about Elita. Stop writing propaganda and start writing news. Flag Abuse
Posted by: John at 4/16/08 And its also pathetic that 98% of the article was about her experiences, but that the editorial board plugs it as a gun-control article. Shameful, you really need to learn journalism folks. Flag Abuse
Posted by: John at 4/16/08 It's cliche, but when you outloaw guns, only outlaws will have guns. Law-abiding citizens who are legally registered to own firearms rarely commit gun-related crimes or mass shootings. It's a far lower precentage than the general population. The majority of gun crimes are committed with illegal weapons. In countries where handguns have been banned, violence still occurs with firearms, but also knives and other instruments. As has been mentioned, banning or restricting weapons only disarms the innocent. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Caleb Haddix at 4/16/08 It was already illegal for a gun to be on that campus. Do people really think criminals will obey laws making it illegal to own guns? Flag Abuse
Posted by: Chris S. at 4/16/08 Wow leave it to the editors to ruin a good article. An entire article is written about the horrible experience of one of the victims and how they overcame, but the editorial board seems to think the only thing important in the article is the last sentance that she wants more gun control. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Chris Johnson at 4/16/08 My brother in law was shot dead in the Bronx, NYC. All gun control did was disarm him so he could not try to defend his life. I will not be disarmed so the next psycho has an unarmed victim. Gun control is a "feel good" solution more dangerous then the problem. Flag Abuse






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