A campus tragedy “of monumental proportions”

There is a terribly sad and scary story from the campus of Virginia Tech today.  Here is CNN’s latest coverage and the AP’s latest piece.  Some of the disturbing details:

A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing 21 people in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history.  The gunman was killed, but it was unclear if he was shot by police or took his own life.

“Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions,” said Virginia Tech president Charles Steger. “The university is shocked and indeed horrified.”

The university reported shootings at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a co-ed residence hall that houses 895 people, and continuing about two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building.  Some but not all the dead were students.  One student was killed in a dorm and the others were killed in the classroom, Virginia Tech Police Chief W.R. Flinchum.

The name of the gunman was not released. It was not known if he was a student.

Because I have spent most of my adult life on college campuses, this crime story impacts me emotionally more than most.  My heart and thoughts go out to all the victims and everyone impacted by this tragic crime.

I mention this (still developing) story in part because these kinds of horrific, historic crimes have a way of impacting many criminal justice and sentencing issues.  Whether the debate is gun control, campus security, mental illness or the death penalty, today’s VT shooting will likely impact, both consciously and unconsciously, many people’s perspectives.

UPDATE:  The latest version of the AP story now has this telling sound-bite coming from the White House:

A White House spokesman said President Bush was horrified by the rampage and offered his prayers to the victims and the people of Virginia.  “The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed,” spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

MORE:  Sadly, the death toll keeps rising; the latest AP update now reports 32 dead along with the gunman.  And the emerging details from what folks are calling the “College Columbine” ensure that this tragic event will be making headlines for a long time.

ON THE RIPPLES:  As I expect once the number of deaths reached double digits, the Senate has postponed the AG Gonzales hearing planned for Tuesday in response to this tragedy.