The students and teachers killed at Virginia Tech were from every race and religion. The U.S. is still a melting pot.
This tragedy is inevitably seen as inevitable by Americans, and as American by foreigners. The South Korean shooter would not have been able to buy guns so easily in his own country. People kill people-- but guns kill more of them.
People in other countries do not understand the American affection for the Second Amendment.
The second student killed by the gunman was Ryan Clark, known as "Stack," a 4.0 double major in biology and English (i.e. an excellent student). He was an R.A. (resident assistant) in the dorm where the first student who was shot, and was killed going to her aid. A friend put up this photo of him, above.
Another was Reema Samaha, who was 18.
And Ross Alameddine, who "could make anyone laugh":
And Maxine Turner
And Professor Liviu Librescu. According to CNN, "Dr. Liviu Librescu was credited with saving many students' lives by
blocking the door as the shooter was trying to enter. Dr. Liviu
Librescu was a Holocaust survivor and one of the most published
professors at Virginia Tech.”
Emily Hilscher loved horses
Henry Lee was a freshman from Roanoke, Virginia.
Erin Peterson, as reported by her father
Dan O'Neil
Caitlin Hammaren was studying French
Wow. Posting photos of the victims has really hit me...
Posted by: Emily | 18 April 2007 at 13:23
from the reports i've read, quite a few students in french and german classes were killed. it just breaks my heart.
Posted by: Victoria | 19 April 2007 at 02:52
"The South Korean shooter would not have been able to buy guns so easily in his own country." This man has been in the United States since he was 8 years old. I would say that all of his derangement stemmed from living in America and had nothing to do with his being ethnically South Korean.
Posted by: CALIFORNIA | 19 April 2007 at 03:48
Dear CALIFORNIA,
Of course you're right-- I wrote that comment before we knew more about him than that he was legally a South Korean. Someone who has been in the U.S. since he was eight and majors in English is culturally American.
Our gun culture and anti-social madness are a deadly combination.
Sedulia
Posted by: Sedulia | 19 April 2007 at 17:32
Thank you for publishing these photos. They humanize and honor those who died and their loved ones without being maudlin and without feeding the prurient desire for the most sordid details.
Posted by: Peggy | 20 April 2007 at 21:20