We will continue to invent the future through our blood and tears and through all our sadness ... We are the Hokies ... -- Nikki Giovanni, University Distinguished Professor, poet, activist
(BLACKSBURG, Va.) - The Virginia State Police have closed their on-scene phase of the Virginia Tech investigation.
State, federal and local investigators are now moving on to the task of evaluating, reviewing, re-reviewing, and building a case to explain what, and as much as possible why, this tragedy occurred.
From this point, there will be little daily information to share from the law-enforcement perspective.
The media will be kept apprised of any meaningful investigative developments as they emerge.
In regards to the correspondence believed to have been sent by Cho Seung-Hui to NBC, investigators did have a chance to preview the contents of the package before it aired on the nightly news.
When the FBI took custody of the package Wednesday afternoon, it immediately became part of the evidentiary content for the ongoing investigation.
Investigators had hoped the correspondence forwarded to NBC would have been of significant evidentiary value.
While there was some marginal value to the information, the vast majority of it already existed among the evidence collected during the course of the investigation.
The writings, photographs and video simply confirmed much of what law enforcement already knew and had established during the course of this investigation.
Investigators have identified, located and processed a vehicle associated with Cho. This took place early on in the investigation.
The 911 calls made in relation to the shootings will not be released to media, as they are part of the criminal investigative file.
“Over the last news cycle, families of the victims have endured, the Virginia Tech family has endured, and indeed the world has endured a view of a side of life that few would and should ever have to see,” said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police.
“This is a side of life that a few years ago was only seen by those who have chosen to work in a profession responsible for managing and mitigating crime and violence.”
Classes to resume Monday, April 23rd; several options available to students
The first day of class will involve broad ranging discussion of these events from various perspectives. There will also be discussion of the options, which are available to students concerning their completion of the semester.
Classes will be continued with the elimination of one week of work. Students will have the option of requesting, on a course by course basis, that the semester grade be based on the faculty evaluation of:
Materials which have already been submitted for grade prior to April 16th, or the already submitted material plus any other assigned material which the student wishes to submit for grade, or the material that would have been submitted for grade upon regular completion of the course.
We Remember the Victims of April 16th, 2007
The following have been positively identified, and their next of kin notified.
Students:Ross Abdallah Alameddine
Hometown: Saugus, Massachusetts
Sophomore, University Studies
Student since fall 2005
Brian Roy Bluhm
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Master's student, Civil Engineering
Student since spring 2005
Ryan Christopher Clark
Hometown: Martinez, Georgia
Senior, Psychology
Student since fall 2002
Austin Michelle Cloyd
Hometown: Blacksburg, Virginia
Sophomore, Honors Program, International Studies
Student since fall 2006
Matthew Gregory Gwaltney
Hometown: Chesterfield, Virginia
Master’s student, Environmental Engineering
Graduate student since fall 2005
Caitlin Millar Hammaren
Hometown: Westtown, New York
Sophomore, International Studies
Student since fall 2005
Jeremy Michael Herbstritt
Hometown: Blacksburg, Virginia
Master's student, Civil Engineering
Student since fall 2006
Emily Jane Hilscher
Hometown: Woodville, Virginia
Freshman, Animal and Poultry Sciences
Student since fall 2006
Jarrett Lee Lane
Hometown: Narrows, Virginia
Senior, Civil Engineering
Student since fall 2003
Matthew Joseph La Porte
Hometown: Dumont, New Jersey
Sophomore, University Studies
Student since fall 2005
Henry J. Lee
Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia
Sophomore, Computer Engineering
Student since fall 2006
Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan
Hometown: Blacksburg, Virginia (originally from Indonesia)
Ph.D. student, Civil Engineering
Student since fall 2003
Lauren Ashley McCain
Hometown: Hampton, Virginia
Freshman, International Studies
Student since fall 2006
Daniel Patrick O'Neil
Hometown: Lincoln, Rhode Island
Master's student, Environmental Engineering
Student since fall 2006
J. Ortiz-Ortiz
Minal Hiralal Panchal
Hometown: Mumbai, India
Master’s student, Architecture
Student since fall 2006
Daniel Alejandro Perez
Hometown: Woodbridge, Virginia
Sophomore, International Studies
Student since summer 2006
Erin Nicole Peterson
Hometown: Centreville, Virginia
Freshman, International Studies
Student since fall 2006
Michael Steven Pohle, Jr.
Hometown: Flemington, New Jersey
Senior, Biological Sciences
Student since fall 2002
Julia Kathleen Pryde
Hometown: Blacksburg, Virginia
Master's student, Biological Systems Engineering
Student since summer 2006
Mary Karen Read
Hometown: Annandale, Virginia
Freshman, Interdisciplinary Studies
Student since fall 2006
Reema Joseph Samaha
Hometown: Centreville, Virginia
Freshman, University Studies
Student since fall 2006
Waleed Mohamed Shaalan
Hometown: Blacksburg, Virginia (originally from Egypt)
Ph.D. student, Civil Engineering
Student since fall 2006
Leslie Geraldine Sherman
Hometown: Springfield, Virginia
Junior, Honors Program, History
Student since fall 2005
Maxine Shelly Turner
Hometown: Vienna, Virginia
Senior, Honors Program, Chemical Engineering
Student since fall 2003
Nicole White
Hometown: Smithfield, Virginia
Sophomore, International Studies
Student since fall 2004
Faculty:
Christopher James Bishop
Instructor, Foreign Languages
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on August 10, 2005
Jocelyne Couture-Nowak
Adjunct Professor, Foreign Languages
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on August 10, 2001
Kevin P. Granata
Professor, Engineering Science and Mechanics
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on January 10, 2003
Liviu Librescu
Professor, Engineering Science and Mechanics
Residence in Blacksburg
Joined Virginia Tech on September 1, 1985
Virginia Tech Massacre UpdateSalem-News.com