Brian, you do such a marvelous job of conveying sympathy, empathy, and support to the persons you interview for a story like this...just the message that any of us would want to convey were we to have the opportunity of doing so. Thanks for the excellence of your reporting, and especially for adding this "human element."

Your coverage has been excellent, but I was a bit put off by the announcer at the top of the news intoning, "MASSACRE AT VIRGINIA TECH." Why does everything need to be packaged? The story is tragic and dramatic enough without afixing a sensational label. I found it quite jarring. Unfortunately, thanks to the powers-that-be in Detroit, we got Wheel of Fortune instead of the second half-hour.

As a senior citizen, I've wondered about our youth. In seeing the interviews of such eloquently speaking and mature individuals of the student body and their siblings during this horrible time, makes me so very certain that we are blessed with these individuals, the survivors, who will do great things for the world.

my prayers go out to VT and the families of the victims. the only thing i want to say is that everybody needs to place blame where it belongs. that is firmly on Satan's shoulders. all he wants to do is steal, kill, and destroy. please, fellow believers, rain down your prayers to stop him.

One issue that I think should be explored after this tragedy is whether the federal privacy law that prevented Prof. Roy from contacting Cho Seung-Hui's parents should be changed. I recently tried to discuss an issue with UCONN staff regarding my 17-year-old, who will be going there next fall. They wouldn't talk to me, even though he is a minor. This makes no sense. If my child were so disturbed that people were afraid of him, I would want to know so that I could try to do something about it.

This is just a horrendous situation but just imagine how the people in Iraq must feel EVERY DAY. 127 killed today with car bombs. There were many innocent people in that as well. We just don't seem to think it should happen here in America. We are no better, no worse than other people in the world that live with these awful situations daily.

I am an American navigator on a Norwegian ship, and was at sea yesterday when I learned of the tragedy that befell the students and professors at VA Tech. Our society has fashioned the finest hemlock of murder and destruction. Our, not so secret ingredients, are of course fear and guns. We are saturated with fear by our leaders, our entertainers, our press and our religions, yet we are still act surprised when that fear turns to anger and then makes its final manifestation into violence. Can we really feign shock or surprise when a tragedy like VA Tech happens? I sadly cannot. I must look at my co-workers from different countries and offer the poor explanation that Americans are not as bad as they’ve decided to become. I have to try and explain that the people of the greatest country in the world are simply afraid … and armed to the bloody teeth.
This tragedy in Virginia is both sad and heart wrenching. In the end I can only, humbly, submit my meager condolences to the families of the taken. I know in my heart that these martyred students would not want their memories used to cause more fear and affliction of death upon other innocents. I can only hope that the seeds of despair this tragedy has sown into our hearts will blossom into the long absent courage this country has been so long without. In these times of poor leadership, uncertainty, hunger and war may our hearts navigate our destiny filled with courage and not fear.

We want to thank the people from across the country and world who have sent messages of love and concern. For those people we appreciate and respect you for appreciating and respecting us.
For the media and the people who want to blame and look for someone other then the shooter to point your fingers at I have one thing to say " get out " we do not need you here. If you want to use your resources to help us and comfort us and help us recover then we will welcome you with open arms. If you are here to tear anyone down then please pack up and leave we have no need for you here.

The fact that the gunman's professors saw a brewing situation and tried to address real concerns about this student prior to the VT tragedy is extremely disturbing.
As an educator, we may end up with a student(s) who display troubling behaviors,even in elementary school. If teachers are witnessing behaviors that raise red flags year after year, reporting it, documenting, and still nothing is done by administrators to find the out what's going on or get that child help.
Unfortunately, "brushing off" or "passing on" concerns may sometimes lead struggling students down a simliar path of depression and/or violence against others.

Please start listening and paying attention to signs.

To the parents and students at VT, May God be with you and comfort you in this tradegy.
I'd like to voice my anger, not only at the shooter but law enforcement. As with columbine shootings and others the police hid behind trees, buildings, bushes and vehicles until the shooting stopped and the shooter committed suicide. A person with a cell phone camera captured law enforcement crouching and hiding while at least a dozen shots rang out inside the building. Why did they not rush in? How many kids died from those shots recorded? They stood a better chance against harm than those inside who had no body armour or training. That is what they are paid to do, yet they stood by and waited and left those kids to die. How many of those shot could have survived if help came sooner? Why is no one asking these questions. Pompous cowards in my opinion.

What has happened in the last 30 to 40 years? Possibly the value system of not only the United States but the entire world? There is not a problem with adults considering an unborn child as totally expendable if it is an inconvenience, just murder it. The parents do not have the right to spank a child for misbehavior. Talk and reason may not always work. The rights of a parent to correct a child as they see fit has been removed. There is a distinct difference between abuse and punishment, but apparently by media and political standards parents are not capable of telling the difference. The "me" syndrome is getting stronger by the day. Watch TV for 5 minutes and the Reality Shows will indicate as well as promote lying, back stabbing, mistrust and the more underhanded you are the better. Bearing in mind that the one and only thing that is important in life is me and money. The children watch, listen and learn. The horror can only increase because we have given our permission, by not holding the individual responsible, but an object. You can count on the media to captivate and expound on whatever political agenda that they wish to exploit at the time of such tragedy as they hold the spotlight. It would be rare to see reporting that is unbiais.
I do hope and pray that Mr. Williams is able and powerful enough to get all the planes and jet fuel removed from the world. (Murders on 9/11) I pray the same for all the ingredients to make explosives and trucks to transport them in. (Oklahoma bombing) I hope that he will be able to remove all the swords, knifes and sharp objects. (Murder by decapitation in Iraq) The list could go on with the many creative ways humans kill one another. I know that we all are bright enough and have the common sense to understand that the object causes the horror and carnage not the human being. It is fortunate that we have attempted to remove our Creator as one of peace and love and rather to the position of the excuse for murder.
There are no words that I can say to comfort the individuals and the families that are in such horrible pain, but I will keep them in my prayers.

The first night this happened, I offered a rosary for
the victims & their families...no parents should go thru this...May God be witht hem...

It is sad to know that the only time authorities want to ask questions, point fingers, or just look dumb-founded is after the fact. How sad is that when teachers and fellow classmates brought this attention to the proper authorities that nothing was done and the only one holding the smoking barrel is a dead child with many more? I he the only one to blame? What about home? He apparently had issues there. As much as we want to blame someone else, it starts in the home. How is it this boy was able to purchase a gun so easily? No background or even possiably being first time purchasing a gun, shouldn't there be a co-signer or family member notified? Why do we have to have dramatic situations to occure in order for our eyes to be open? Why didn't the investigative responders to the first shooting broden their search? God bless all of those closely involved. Even though I knew know one that doesn't mean my heart doesn't burn and ache(as I'm sure many others does too)for you. I hope they look fully into the proper places to seek answeres and not just putting things together like most investigations starting at the home then the authorities. My prayers are with you, my arms opened wide and my heart that beats for you. I hope each and everyone of you find what you are looking for and your futures become very full and bright. God bless.

It´s time our Government took a long, hard look at Gun Control. The right to own a fire-arm is just that, a Right! However, the means in which one obtains a gun needs to be re-evaluated....the process is ONLY a privilege and needs to be regulated!! It is far too easy to obtain a gun in this country...

I'm terribly sorry for the victims and their families. I wish them all they best. However, there are people complaining about the President being there at VT, but what about all the media? They have taken over the campus and not allowed this school to grieve in peace.

It feels as if I have lost a son or daughter. I am so sad for the kids, families and loved ones of the people who lost their lives on Monday. May God have mercy on all of our souls.

In response to Anthony-USA's rave regarding the war in Iraq, let me state that not one life is more important than another, regardless of where or how it is lost. Doing "what we say" is impossible as we are not in agreement as to what to do as a country, but "we" did vote to elect GWB, he wasn't appointed. You should learn the laws that govern military intervention on domestic soil before you rant on. By your logic, we should have allowed Hitler to continue his rampage. He wasn't in our home, threatening usat the time. I think you may have a slight problem convincing the Jewish community to back you up on this one. Sadam was no less heinous toward his own people and given the opportunity, would have used those gasses on us or anyone else he chose, especially us "infidels". If you want to talk numbers, he killed about 35,000 at Abu Ghraib, alone. No one wants or likes war, but no one has a better idea that works, either. The innocent Iraqi's, the Jews...are our brothers and sisters and could protect themselves no more than the victims at V-Tech. Would you really allow your sibling to be killed, while shugging your shoulding saying, "It's not my battle". If so, perhaps we should worry about you becoming the next Cho. My guess is you'd give your life protecting your family. We are a global family, like it or not, pleasant or not, convenient or not. My deepest sympathy to all those effected by this incident and I urge anyone who can to address mental health treatments and issues with your legislators.

We will only approve comments that are directly related to this post, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others. Having to even post this sentence is what is wrong with America. My heart felt sympathy goes out to all of those who have lost their loved ones. Seems as though Americans are truly not Americans any longer. We have become the minority in our own country. We are allowing people who hate America to migrate to our country-how sad and devistating for true-blooded Americans.

While I too grieve for the familes and freinds of those lost - I must remind everyone - Guns do not kill people - People kill people. I ask you all this: How many automobile accidents are there every year? How many people kill other people with cars, trucks, motorcycles etc. Are we going to ban automobiles? No. So why try to place a ban on the American peoples right to bear arms? My husband owns a number of weapons and they are locked up in a cabinet. When he does use them for hunting or target shooting he is cautious and safe. Why should he lose his rights because there are people out there that will do things like this student did? Would he have gone another route if he could not have gotten his hands on a gun? Perhaps - he could have chosen a bomb - he could have found a 'recipe' on the internet and in doing so he could have killed/hurt many more people. He could have driven a car/truck in a large group of people. It was not the gun who killed those innocent people - it was the man behind the gun.

If they had an alert system that was cell phone based, they could have had a very different outcome systems are out there and could be set-up easily www.campusalert.net

Wake up America. We must have strong and decisive gun control. There will always be mental illness. That we cannot stop. But we can prevent this kind of slaughter by making it very, very difficult for disturbed people to make themselves into mini-militias.

The fact that President Bush "dodged this bullet" (very bad pun intended) was a grievously political act, at a time when we must all be honest enough to reevaluate the laws that surround this horrific event.

Please, let us not allow politicians (Dem and Rep alike) to sweep this issue under the rug. Enough people have died. VOTE FOR GUN CONTROL CANDIDATES.

One thing we should learn from all this, is that we have to train to respond to these situation ourselves, not just depends on the Police to handle it. We need to be ready to use whatever is at hand to defend ourselves, being it chairs, soft drinks cans to thrown at the assaillant(s), to deny them access quickly, to use fire exthinghuiser to create a wall of smoke, so that they can't see properly, to use fire hose as a weapons, etc...

Mr.Williams, First I would like to thank you for your fine reporting you are doing on this tragic event. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families effected by the horrible occurrence. I hope that all those people that were injured recover fully. I try not to lose faith in mankind that someday these violent actions will cease and peace will always be the norm. Peace to all.

I would like to say is only the lard knows why this young man does this,May god be with the rest of the student teachers and family at this time, I will be praying for you all, And may the lord continu to keep you all at this present time of trouble, Good Bless you and be with you in this tragedy,

This is a terrible tragedy that is happening more because we are failing to instill in our children, who will become tomorrow's parents, a sense of self-worth, knowledge of their abilities, and confidence that they have a place in the world. Instead of discovering what They are to DO in this world, and honing their abilities, we instead send them out into the world with minds tuned by Xbox and television images, and an animal's response to pain, pressure, and stress. It is no wonder that they respond in this way. Teachers and professors will certainly tell about the pressures in the classroom as ill-prepared students require remedial instruction--if this isn't stress on the student and teacher...
Parents, family members, teachers all need to understand that we are more alone and isolated than ever... we need to be kinder to one another. The gun is not the problem...as evidenced by England's gun ban that seems to have resulted in a 37% increase in gun crime, and a call for banning of plastic guns.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2640817.stm