For all of you who don't know, right now Virginia Tech is still stressed since the lock-down started at approximately 12:30. The event started with the gunman shooting a police officer doing a standard traffic stop, continuing to kill another student. This is a major event, and just thought I'd bring it up here. Please, for the sake of the victims, do not bring in anti-gun law arguments. I always hate seeing those type of statuses and posts on other websites. And for up to date information, http://www.vt.edu has all of the released details, and below is a video of Torg Bridge, where many students in the library were brought for safety.


http://www.youtube.c...2Z0i2qUA&sns=tw

Update: Lock-down is over, shooter wasn't found, but a weapon was found with the second victim, who is an unidentified male.

I just saw the headline a few minutes ago. Thought it was an old news story that got necrod on Google news somehow. Sucks for everyone involved. I hope the best for them.

I just heard about this. Dear god, that's already the third act of extreme violence at that place... I'm basically out of words now.

Dear god, that's already the third act of extreme violence at that place..[/quote]

A routine car stop went afoul, but it happened near VT campus?

But that makes two, what's the third?

It's natural that area in general is sensitive to any kind of incident, but at same time it breeds culture of fear, especially given large scale automated reaction. How many similar incidents occur every day? It's similar to how airplane disasters come in bunches. For a week after a major airplane crash, there is a ton of media attention, it seems that every day another plane has an accident, while it's just media paying close attention to everyday incidents.

Dear god, that's already the third act of extreme violence at that place..

A routine car stop went afoul, but it happened near VT campus?

But that makes two, what's the third?

It's natural that area in general is sensitive to any kind of incident, but at same time it breeds culture of fear, especially given large scale automated reaction. How many similar incidents occur every day? It's similar to how airplane disasters come in bunches. For a week after a major airplane crash, there is a ton of media attention, it seems that every day another plane has an accident, while it's just media paying close attention to everyday incidents.
[/quote]

Which is why a lot of the campus is upset a lot of media are comparing this to 4-16. And the death of Officer Crouse happened by Cassell Coliseum, which is right across the street from my residence hall. In fact, from my dorm, I was able to see the mobilization of the police forces in that area, including the SWAT. More intense, Crouse was the officer that was assigned to my residence hall.

But I completely agree with your statement about the media follows whatever topic a major incident occurred within. Although, it's quite disappointing that many drag Virginia Tech into gun law arguments for either side. I understand their reasoning for doing so, but when they make heart-less statements about conditions on campus without having been here and integrated with the community, it's quite hurtful.

Update: We held a Vigil on the campus drillfield and here is a video of it:

Dear god, that's already the third act of extreme violence at that place..

A routine car stop went afoul, but it happened near VT campus?

But that makes two, what's the third?

It's natural that area in general is sensitive to any kind of incident, but at same time it breeds culture of fear, especially given large scale automated reaction. How many similar incidents occur every day? It's similar to how airplane disasters come in bunches. For a week after a major airplane crash, there is a ton of media attention, it seems that every day another plane has an accident, while it's just media paying close attention to everyday incidents.
[/quote]

A student was decapitated by another one in a VTech cafeteria.
http://www.smh.com.a...2471547330.html

But you are right, of course, the media loves those stories.

It's natural that area in general is sensitive to any kind of incident, but at same time it breeds culture of fear, especially given large scale automated reaction. How many similar incidents occur every day? It's similar to how airplane disasters come in bunches. For a week after a major airplane crash, there is a ton of media attention, it seems that every day another plane has an accident, while it's just media paying close attention to everyday incidents.

For the most part, I agree. However, I don't recall having 2 shootings and a decapitation at my school all within the last few years... I feel bad for VTech and its students, though.

It's natural that area in general is sensitive to any kind of incident, but at same time it breeds culture of fear, especially given large scale automated reaction. How many similar incidents occur every day? It's similar to how airplane disasters come in bunches. For a week after a major airplane crash, there is a ton of media attention, it seems that every day another plane has an accident, while it's just media paying close attention to everyday incidents.

There's also the theory that if the media gives a lot of attention to one shooting it can trigger another one shortly after. (See Charlie Brooker's "Newswipe").

[quote name='Antheus' timestamp='1323460364' post='4892318']
It's natural that area in general is sensitive to any kind of incident, but at same time it breeds culture of fear, especially given large scale automated reaction. How many similar incidents occur every day? It's similar to how airplane disasters come in bunches. For a week after a major airplane crash, there is a ton of media attention, it seems that every day another plane has an accident, while it's just media paying close attention to everyday incidents.

There's also the theory that if the media gives a lot of attention to one shooting it can trigger another one shortly after. (See Charlie Brooker's "Newswipe").
[/quote]

That makes a lot of sense, I'll be sure to pass that video around here on campus. But I agree, the media too quickly jumps the gun. In fact, one writer for the Daily Press, a newspaper headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, had to pull an article off of the website because it called the campus "snake-bitten" and "solidifying itself as the campus you'd be most likely to be shot at", and the VP is preparing to make an apology. This just goes to show that all the media wants is that new bleeding-edge story; just look to politics if you want a good example of that.

Normally, I'm against bumping, however, this is an update I feel should be allowed to bump.

The Westboro Church has announced its intent to protest the memorial for Officer Crouse, coming to the campus tomorrow. I don't think this will sit quite so well with the campus community or the surrounding area, but then again, the Westboro Church has always thought themselves the "righteous" ones. Thoughts, comments?

http://www.godhatesf...scksburg-VA.pdf

Edit: For those in the area, there's also a facebook group to protest the WBC: https://www.facebook.com/events/233161646756291/