2007 Virginia Tech Massacre

The 2007 Virginia Tech shooting was one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. It occurred on April 16, 2007, at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia. The gunman, 23-year-old student Seung-Hui Cho, carried out the attack in two separate incidents on the same day. The first shooting happened in a dormitory, where two people were killed. Nearly two hours later, Cho entered a classroom building, chained the doors shut, and went on a shooting spree across multiple rooms, ultimately killing 30 more people before taking his own life.

Cho was a senior majoring in English who had a history of mental health issues and troubling behavior that raised concerns among students and faculty. Despite prior warnings and documented psychological evaluations, he was able to legally purchase firearms due to gaps in the national background check system. He used two semi-automatic handguns during the attack and left behind a manifesto and video messages expressing anger, resentment, and a desire for infamy.

In the aftermath, the shooting led to widespread criticism of campus security protocols, mental health services, and gun control regulations. Virginia Tech and universities nationwide reevaluated emergency response systems and mental health outreach. The tragedy sparked national debate and prompted some legislative changes aimed at improving information sharing for background checks. The shooting remains a grim reminder of the devastating impact of untreated mental illness, systemic failures, and gun violence on American campuses.

Victims

Ross Abdallah Alameddine, age 20. Undergraduate student

Christopher James Bishop, age 35. German instructor

Brian Roy Bluhm, age 25. Graduate student

Ryan Clark, age 22. Senior, biology and English, RA

Austin Michelle Cloyd,age 18. International studies student

Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, age 49. French instructor

Kevin Granata, age 45. Professor of Engineering Science & Mechanics

Matthew Gregory Gwaltney, age 24. Graduate student, civil/environmental engineering

Caitlin Millar Hammaren, age 19. International relations student

Jeremy Michael Herbstritt, age 27. Graduate student, civil/environmental engineering

Rachael Elizabeth Hill, age 18. Freshman, biology major

Emily Jane Hilscher, age 19. Freshman, animal and poultry sciences

Jarrett Lee Lane, age 22. Civil engineering student

Matthew Joseph La Porte, age 20. Sophomore, Air Force ROTC student

Henry J. Lee, age 20. Student

Liviu Librescu, age 76. Engineering science and mathematics professor, Holocaust survivor

G.V. Loganathan, age 51. Professor, civil and environmental engineering

Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan, age 34. Graduate student, civil engineering

Lauren Ashley McCain, age 20. International studies student

Daniel Patrick O’Neil, age 22. Graduate student, environmental engineering

Juan Ramon Ortiz-Ortiz, age 26. Graduate student, engineering

Minal Panchal, age 26. Graduate student, architecture

Erin Nicole Peterson, age 18. Freshman, international studies

Michael Steven Pohle Jr., age 23. Senior, biology

Julia Kathleen Pryde, age 23. Graduate student, biological systems engineering

Mary Karen Read, age 19. Freshman, interdisciplinary studies

Reema Joseph Samaha, age 18. Freshman, interdisciplinary studies

Waleed Mohamed Shaalan, age 32. Graduate student, civil engineering

Leslie Gerald Sherman, age 20. History and international studies student

Maxine Shelly Turner, age 22. Senior, chemical engineering

Nicole White, age 20. International studies student