Timeline of the Virginia Tech shooting

This timeline of events from the Virginia Tech shooting lists times in Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4).

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The official timeline was compiled by TriData Corp, a division of defense contractor System Planning Corp., for use by the eight-member panel appointed by Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine.[1][2]

Background

2003

2004

Monday, January 19

  • Cho started trading on eBay with ID "blazers5505".[4][5]

2005

Fall

  • Andy Koch, Cho's suitemate, took Cho out to some parties at the start of the fall semester in 2005. At one party, Cho got "tipsy" enough that he opened up and began talking about his virtual love life. He said he had an imaginary girlfriend named Jelly, and that she was "a supermodel that lived in space." Jelly had a nickname for Cho—Spanky.[6]
  • Andy Koch along with John Eide snooped in Cho's belongings and "found nothing more threatening than a pocket knife."[7]

Fall poetry class

  • Professor Nikki Giovanni requested that Cho either change the sinister content of his poems or drop the class. Cho responded, "You can't make me."[8]

Removed from poetry class

  • Lucinda Roy, co-director of the creative writing program removed Cho from Professor Giovanni's class and tutored him one-on-one. When Cho refused to go to counseling, Roy notified the Division of Student Affairs, the Cook Counseling Center, the Schiffert Health Center, the Virginia Tech police and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.[8]

Fall writing class

  • Professor Lisa Norris, who had Cho in her class, alerted the associate dean of students, Mary Ann Lewis, who could find "no mention of mental health issues or police reports" on Cho.[8]

Sunday, November 27

  • A female student filed a report with the Virginia Tech campus police indicating that Cho had made "annoying" contact with her on the internet,[6] by phone and in person. The investigating officer referred Cho to the school's disciplinary system, the office of judicial affairs,[9] which is separate from the police department.[10]

Monday, December 12

  • Another female student, a friend of Andy Koch,[6] filed a report with the Virginia Tech campus police complaining of "disturbing" instant messages from Cho. She requested that Cho "have no further contact with her."[9][11][12]

Tuesday, December 13

  • Virginia Tech campus police notified Cho that he was to have no further contact with the female student.
  • After Virginia Tech campus police left, Andy Koch, Cho's roommate, received an instant message from Cho stating, "I might as well kill myself now."[6][13]
  • In response to receiving the instant message from Cho, Andy Koch, Cho's roommate, notified the resident advisor and phoned his father.[14] Koch and his father alerted Virginia Tech campus police that Cho had sent Koch a suicidal instant message.
  • Virginia Tech campus police took Cho off campus to a voluntary counseling evaluation at New River Community Services,[11] where he was examined by Kathy Goodbey. Goodbey determined that he was "mentally ill and in need of hospitalization."[15]
  • Cho's paperwork, declaring Cho "an imminent danger to self or others," was sent to court.
  • Cho was transported to Carilion St. Albans Psychiatric Hospital where psychologist Roy Crouse determined that Cho "is mentally ill; that he does not present an imminent danger to (himself/others), or is not substantially unable to care for himself, as a result of mental illness; and that he does not require involuntary hospitalization."[16]

Wednesday, December 14

  • Cho was released from Carilion St. Albans Psychiatric Hospital after his examination by Roy Crouse.[17]
  • Cho's paperwork was sent to special Justice Paul M. Barnett, who certified the finding and ordered follow-up treatment.[18][19]
  • Neither the court, the university nor community services officials followed up on the judge's order, according to dozens of interviews. Cho never got the treatment, according to authorities who have seen his medical files.[15]

2006

Fall

  • Cho enrolled in Professor Brent Stevens's English 3984 class, "Special Studies: Contemporary Horror. - 'not for the faint of heart' ." In that class he analyzed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and explored in papers and a "fear journal" how "horror has become a masochistic pleasure."[20] Cho later sold his textbooks on eBay-affiliated site half.com. The textbooks that were sold included Men, Women, and Chainsaws by Carol J. Clover, a book that explores gender in the modern horror film. Others include The Best of H. P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre; and The Female of the Species: Tales of Mystery and Suspense by Joyce Carol Oates - a book in which the publisher writes: "In these and other gripping and disturbing tales, women are confronted by the evil around them and surprised by the evil they find within themselves."[21][22]

2007

Friday, February 2

Friday, February 9

March

  • Cho stayed in a Roanoke motel and hired a dancer, Chastity Frye, for a one-hour performance.[27]

Monday, March 12

Tuesday, March 13

Thursday, March 22

  • Cho showed up at the PSS Range, an indoor pistol range in Roanoke, and spent an hour practicing, buying four ammunition magazines for the Glock 19. Range employees, investigators later said, remembered a young Asian man videotaping himself inside a van in the parking lot.[28]
  • Using the handle "blazers5505" on eBay, Cho purchased two 10-round magazines for the Walther P22 from "Bullelk14"[31]

Friday, March 23

Late March, (exact date uncertain)

  • Cho rented a room in another local hotel and was visited by a dancer from an escort service.[34]

Saturday, March 31 (April 7, 8 and 13)

Unknown date

  • Cho purchased additional ammunition magazines from Dick's Sporting Goods and chains from a Home Depot.[35]

Early April (date unknown)

  • Cho returns the rented minivan to its owner.

Sunday, April 8

Friday, April 13

Norris Hall, where 30 of the 32 victims had died.
  • Bomb threats to Torgersen, Durham, and Whittemore Halls were called in anonymously. An additional bomb threat, this time to engineering school buildings, was found at the shooting scene at Norris Hall.[36] A written bomb threat similar to the ones that were phoned in was found in Suite 2121 of Harper Hall,[37] Cho's dormitory room.[38]

Saturday, April 14

  • Witnesses saw a "suspicious looking man with a hooded sweatshirt" near the entrance to Norris Hall, and some of the doors chained shut around the same time.[39]

Sunday, April 15

  • Cho phoned his family in Fairfax County.[29]

Event
Aerial photo showing location of Harper Hall (Cho's dorm), Norris Hall, West Ambler Johnston Hall, and the Blacksburg, VA, U.S. Post Office.

Monday, April 16

  • 5:00 a.m.: While in Suite 2120 (room 2121) of Harper Hall,[37] Joseph E. "Joe" Aust, one of Cho's five roommates, noticed that Cho was awake and at his computer.[28]
  • Around 5:30 a.m.: Karan Grewal, one of Cho's other roommates, noticed Cho, clad in boxer shorts and a T-shirt, brushing his teeth and applying acne cream after Grewal finished an "all-nighter" of study in Room 2121. Grewal did not see Cho after this point.[40]
  • Between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m.: Aust saw Cho return from the bathroom, get dressed, and leave.[41]
  • Before 7:00 a.m.: Cho was seen waiting outside an entrance to West Ambler Johnston Hall.[42]
  • Before 7:15 a.m.: Emily Hilscher was dropped off at her dormitory by her boyfriend, Karl D. Thornhill.[43]
  • 7:15 a.m.: A 9-1-1 emergency call to Virginia Tech campus police reported a shooting at West Ambler Johnston Hall, leaving Ryan Christopher Clark, the resident advisor, dead and Emily Hilscher fatally wounded in Suite 4040,[44] which housed Hilscher.[45][46][47]
  • Between 7:15 am and 9:01 a.m.: Cho returned to his dormitory room to reload and left a "disturbing note."[48]
  • 7:30 a.m.: Investigators from VT PD and Blacksburg PD arrived.
  • Between 7:30 am and 8:00 a.m.: Heather Haugh, Emily Hilscher's friend and roommate, arrived to meet her to go to chemistry class together. When she asked about Hilscher, Haugh was questioned by detectives and gave them the information that Hilscher would usually spend weekends with her boyfriend, Karl Thornhill, at his off-campus townhouse. She explained that on Monday mornings Thornhill would drop off Hilscher and go back to Radford University where he was a student, and that Thornhill was an avid gun user. This led the police to seek him out as a "person of interest."[28][43][49]
  • 8:00 a.m.: Classes at Virginia Tech began.
  • Around 8:00 a.m.: West Ambler Johnston was locked down; a third floor resident assistant notified students of the lockdown. Aimee Kanode, a freshman, stated that police lifted the lockdown shortly before the Norris Hall attacks.[50]
  • 8:25 a.m.: Virginia Tech leadership team met to develop a plan on how to notify students of the homicide. Meanwhile, police stopped Karl Thornhill, in a vehicle off-campus and detained him for questioning.
  • 8:52 a.m.: University President Charles Steger's office is locked down.[51]
  • 9:00 a.m.: Virginia Tech leadership team was briefed on the latest events in the ongoing dormitory homicide investigation.
  • 9:01 am: Cho mailed a U.S. Postal Service express parcel from Blacksburg P.O. to NBC headquarters in New York City, containing pictures of him holding weapons, a 1,800-word diatribe and a video clip alluding to the coming massacre.[52]
  • 9:05 am: Jocelyne Couture-Nowak's Intermediate French Class in Norris 211 began.[53]
  • Around 9:05 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.: Cho was seen in Norris Hall, an Engineering building. Using chains (possibly the ones he had purchased at Home Depot), Cho chained the building's entry doors shut from the inside.[35]
  • 9:26 a.m.: E-mails were sent to campus staff, faculty, and students informing them of a "shooting incident" at the West AJ dormitory.[54]
    Elementary French class students take cover in Holden Hall Room 212
  • Around 9:30 am: A female student walked into Norris 211 and alerted the occupants that a shooting occurred at West Ambler Johnston.[53]
  • 9:42 a.m.: Students in the engineering building, Norris Hall, made a 9-1-1 emergency call to alert police that more shots had been fired.[29][55][56]
  • 9:45 a.m.: Police arrived three minutes later and found that Cho had chained all three entrances shut.[29]
  • Between 9:40 and 9:51 am: Using the .22 caliber Walther P22 and 9 millimeter Glock 19 handgun with 17 magazines of ammunition, Cho shot 47 people, killing 30 of them.[35] Cho's rampage lasted for approximately nine minutes.[57] A student in Room 205 noticed the time remaining in class shortly before the start of the shootings.[58]
  • Around 9:40 a.m.: Students in Norris 205, while attending Haiyan Cheng's issues in scientific computing class, heard Cho's gunshots. The students, including Zach Petkewicz, barricaded the door and prevented Cho's entry.[59]
  • 9:50 a.m.: After arriving at Norris Hall, police took 5 minutes to assemble the proper team, clear the area and then break through the doors.[60] They used a shotgun to break through the chained entry doors. Investigators believe that the shotgun blast alerted the gunman to the arrival of the police.[35] The police heard gunshots as they entered the building. They followed the sounds to the second floor.
  • 9:50 a.m.: A second e-mail announcing: "A gunman is loose on campus. Stay in buildings until further notice. Stay away from all windows" was sent to all Virginia Tech email addresses. Loudspeakers broadcast a similar message.[55]
  • 9:51 a.m.: As the police reached the second floor, the gunshots stopped. Cho's shooting spree in Norris Hall lasted 9 minutes.[61] Police officers discovered that after his second round of shooting the occupants of room 211 Norris, the gunman fatally shot himself in the temple.[62]
  • 10:17 a.m: A third e-mail was sent to notify about the cancellation of classes and advise people to stay where they are.[63]
  • 10:52 a.m.: A fourth e-mail was sent to warn of "a multiple shooting with multiple victims in Norris Hall," saying the shooter has been arrested and that police are hunting for a possible second shooter. The entrances to the campus buildings were locked.[64]
  • 12:00 p.m.: At a press conference, authorities said there may have been more than 21 people killed and twenty-eight injured.[65]
  • 12:42 p.m.: University President Charles Steger announced that police were releasing people from buildings and that counseling centers were being set up.
  • 1:06 p.m.: The death toll had risen to 22.
  • 1:43 p.m.: News stations confirmed that there were two separate shootings in a two-hour period.
  • 4:30 p.m.: A university statement confirmed that there had been at least 31 deaths at Norris Hall, including the shooter.[66]
  • 5:31 p.m.: News stations reported that Cho shot himself in the face.
  • 7:30 p.m.: A news conference confirmed the number of weapons used, and a possible identification of the suspect that would not be released at that time.
  • 8:22 p.m.: News stations confirmed that Cho wore a bullet-proof vest.
  • 9:06 p.m.: Police knocked on the door of Suite 2121, alerting Grewal and informing him that Cho killed the people in Norris and West Ambler Johnston halls.[67]

Aftermath

Tuesday, April 17

  • 9:15 a.m.: Virginia Tech Police Department released name of shooter as Cho Seung-Hui and confirmed the death toll of 33.[68]
  • 9:30 a.m.: Virginia Tech announced that classes would be cancelled "for the remainder of the week to allow students the time they need to grieve and seek assistance as needed."[68]
  • 2:00 p.m.: A convocation ceremony was held at the university community at Cassell Coliseum. President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine were among the many people in attendance.
Virginia Tech students mourn their fallen friends at a candlelight vigil.
  • 8:00 p.m.: A candlelight vigil was held on the University Drillfield.[69]

Wednesday, April 18

  • 8:25 a.m.: A SWAT team entered Burruss Hall, a campus building next to Norris Hall. No explanation was immediately available. Virginia Tech's public affairs office stated that police were responding to "suspicious activity".[70]
  • 4:37 p.m.: Local police authorities announced that television network NBC received correspondence from Cho, some of which included images of him holding weapons, writings, audio recordings and videos; this information was immediately submitted to the FBI. Since the package was timestamped between the first incident at West Ambler Johnson and the second shooting at Norris Hall, it is possible some of the material was drafted by Cho during the 2 hour interval.[71]

Thursday, April 19

  • 9:49 a.m.: Virginia Tech announced that all students killed on Monday will be granted posthumous degrees in the field in which they were studying. These degrees would be given to the families at the regular commencement exercises that they would have participated in with their friends.

Friday, April 20

  • All Day: VA Governor Kaine declared a statewide day of mourning. Alumni encouraged display of the Virginia Tech school colors: orange and maroon.[72]
  • Cho's family issues statement of apology.[73]

Monday, April 23

  • William Massello, an assistant state medical examiner, said autopsies of Cho's 32 victims revealed that he fired "more than 100" bullets into them. "Some were hit once; some were hit several times, more than once. We had two, three, four, maybe even as high as six." The initial autopsy of the Virginia Tech gunman found no gross brain function abnormalities that could explain the rampage that left 33 people dead.[74]

June 12, 2007

  • Cho's family allows the release of Cho's records to the Virginia Tech Incident Review Panel.

August 30, 2007

  • The Virginia Tech Incident Review Panel completes its report, which is now publicly available.[75]

Notes and references
  1. Turque, Bill (April 25, 2007). "State Taps Firm That Handled Probe of Columbine Shootings". The Washington Post.
  2. "Official Site of the Governor of Virginia". Archived from the original on April 22, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2007.
  3. "Killer's troubles began long ago". The Roanoke Times. Associated Press. April 20, 2007. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012.
  4. Breed, Allen G. (April 27, 2007). "Whys of rampage elude investigators".
  5. http://www.nbcnews.com/id/18246522/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/va-tech-shooter-bought-ammo-clips-ebay/
  6. Breed, Allen G.; Kahn, Chris (April 23, 2007). "Same suite, different planet : Ex-suitemate reflects on Cho's actions".
  7. Thomas, Evan (April 30, 2007). "Special Report: Tragedy at Virginia Tech, page 9". Archived from the original on April 26, 2007.
  8. Thomas, Evan (April 30, 2007). "Making of a Massacre". Archived from the original on April 26, 2007.
  9. "Virginia gunman was accused of stalking: police". April 18, 2007.
  10. Cloud, John (April 18, 2007). "Were Cho's Danger Signs Missed?". Time.
  11. Dedman, Bill (April 18, 2007). "Cho's words, actions fit school shooting pattern".
  12. "Shooter sent "package" to NBC between murders". WALB.com. April 20, 2007. Archived from the original on November 17, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
  13. "Interview transcript with shooter's former roommates". April 18, 2007. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013.
  14. Ruane, Michael E. (April 22, 2007). "'Looking Back . . . We Should Have Done Something'". The Washington Post.
  15. Schulte, Brigid; Jenkins, Chris L. (May 7, 2007). "Cho Didn't Get Court-Ordered Treatment". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 10, 2007.
  16. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. Two, Part. "Gunman had presented an 'imminent danger' in 2005". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 20, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
  18. "FOIA detention order" (PDF). The Washington Post. April 20, 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  19. "Va. Tech Killer Ruled Mentally Ill by Court; Let Go After Hospital Visit". ABC News. April 18, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
  20. Grabar, Mary (April 24, 2007). "The making of a mass murderer--In english class".
  21. Geller, Adam; Kahn, Chris; Gelineau, Kristen; Breed, Allen G. (April 22, 2007). "Internet Key in Probe of Va. Tech Gunman". The Washington Post.
  22. Geller, Adam; Kahn, Chris (April 21, 2007). "Va. Tech Probe Focuses on Computer Use". The Washington Post.
  23. "Shooter had guns more than 1 month before Va. shootings". Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
  24. Turque, Bill; Horwitz, Sari (April 20, 2007). "Kaine Gives Panel Latitude to Probe Campus Killings". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 20, 2007.
  25. "Va. Tech gun bought from state Web firm". April 19, 2007. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
  26. Thomas, Evan (April 30, 2007). "Making of a Massacre". Archived from the original on April 26, 2007.
  27. "Report: Cho Hired an Escort Before Rampage". April 24, 2007.
  28. Kleinfield, N. R. (April 22, 2007). "Before Deadly Rage, a Life Consumed by a Troubling Silence". The New York Times.
  29. Markon, Jerry; Horwitz, Sari (April 26, 2007). "Va. Tech Killer's Motives Pursued: Some Actions During Rampage Still a Mystery". The Washington Post.
  30. Elaine Shannon. "Where Cho Bought His Deadly Weapon." TIME magazine. Published April 18, 2007. Last accessed April 19, 2007.
  31. Keizer, Gregg (April 22, 2007). "Va. Tech killer bought magazines on eBay, gun online: First firearm purchase took place as early as February". Archived from the original on November 14, 2007.
  32. Geller, A. & Kahn, C. (April 22, 2007). Internet key in probe in Va. Tech gunman. The Washington Post. Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  33. "Internet Key in Probe of Va. Tech Gunman". The New York Times. April 22, 2007.
  34. Jerry Markon and Sari Horwitz (April 26, 2007) Va. Tech Killer's Motives Pursued The Washington Post
  35. Urbina, Ian; Fernandez, Manny (April 20, 2007). "University Explains the Return of Troubled Student". The New York Times.
  36. Shooting victims at Tech massacre named Archived September 10, 2012, at Archive.today, The Roanoke Times, April 17, 2007
  37. Maraniss, David (April 19, 2007). "That Was the Desk I Chose to Die Under". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  38. The Va.Tech Gunman: Well Prepared, 23, CNN.com, April 17, 2007.
  39. Markon, Jerry (August 10, 2007). "Va. Tech Shooter May Have Rehearsed Attack". The Washington Post.
  40. Special Report: Tragedy at Virginia Tech - Newsweek National News - MSNBC.com
  41. Tragedy in Blacksburg Archived April 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  42. Williams, Reed; Morrison, Shawna (April 26, 2007). "Police: No motive found". Archived from the original on February 7, 2012.
  43. Mangan, Dan (April 18, 2007). "Police Puzzled why Co-ed was first to die". New York Post. Archived from the original on April 21, 2007.
  44. "Witness: The Dormitory Murders". Time. April 20, 2007.
  45. At least one dead in campus shooting Archived April 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, WDBJ7 Roanoke. April 16, 2007
  46. Front page, Collegiate Times, April 16, 2007
  47. Larry Hincker. "Shooting at Virginia Tech Archived April 18, 2007, at the Wayback Machine", Virginia Tech bulletin, April 16, 2007.
  48. Virginia Tech Police Still Search for Motive After Identifying Shooter Archived April 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, April 17, 2007
  49. "New VTech thread: Victim's roommate debunks the jilted lover theory; Update: Roommates say he stalked classmates, had imaginary girlfriend; Update: "Ismail Ak"? "Ismale Ax"?". HotAir.com. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  50. Timeline: How deadly shooting unfolded - Massacre at Virginia Tech - nbcnews.com
  51. Crizer, Zach (December 4, 2009). "Governor hands down revised April 16 report". Collegiate Times. p. A01. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  52. Ruane, Michael E.; Jenkins, Chris L. (April 19, 2007). "Gunman Sent Video During Lull In Slaughter". Washington Post. p. A01. Retrieved April 15, 2008.
  53. Stone, Andrea (April 22, 2007). "Survivor recalls moments leading up to Va. Tech shootings". USA Today. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  54. Pierre, Robert; Horwitz, Sari; Spinner, Jackie (April 16, 2007). "33 Dead in Virginia Tech Shootings, At Least 24 Injured". Washington Post. Retrieved April 16, 2007.
  55. Timeline of Virginia Tech Shooting Spree Archived May 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine WDBJ7
  56. Schoetz, David (April 25, 2007). "170 Shots, No Motive".
  57. Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Thomson Reuters Foundation". Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  58. "Deadly Rampage". The New York Times. April 17, 2007.
  59. "Student describes shooting spree". BBC News. April 16, 2007.
  60. Gelineau, Kristen (April 26, 2007). "5-Minute Delay Crucial in Tech Shooting". The Washington Post.
  61. Gelineau, Kristen (April 25, 2007). "Police: Va. Tech Bloodbath Lasted 9 Min". The Washington Post.
  62. "Medical examiner: Cho died from bullet to temple - CNN.com". Archived from the original on May 17, 2007. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  63. "Students: School's warning came too slow", Newsday.com, April 17, 2007.
  64. "US university shooting: Timeline of events." Geelong Advertiser, retrieved on April 16, 2007.
  65. Virginia Tech Authorities Confirm 20 Fatalities Archived April 18, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, WDBJ, April 16, 2007
  66. (mp3) Archived April 18, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  67. "Worldandnation: Pop, pop, then panic". Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  68. "Front page". Virginia Tech official website. Retrieved April 16, 2007.
  69. AP. (April 17, 2007) Va. Tech Community Mourns at Candlelight Vigil Washington Post. Accessed April 17, 2007.
  70. "Source: Armed police surround Virginia Tech building". CNN. Retrieved April 18, 2007.
  71. "Gunman in massacre contacted NBC News". NBC News. Retrieved April 19, 2007.
  72. (April 20, 2007) A Statewide Day of Mourning for Virginia Tech Washington Post. Accessed April 20, 2007.
  73. "Cho family statement". CNN.com. Time Warner. April 20, 2007. Retrieved April 15, 2008.
  74. Rucker, Philip; Spinner, Jackie (April 23, 2007). "No Abnormalities Found in Cho's Brain". The Washington Post.
  75. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 4, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
gollark: IncDec is using a worrying amount of CPU time.
gollark: It's probably... about as secure as the rest of osmarks.net, i.e. the worst you can do is increment/decrement it rapidly, as is already happening.
gollark: https://osmarks.net/incdec/ ← gaming
gollark: An instruction which sets the processor into "lisp machine modes", due to lisp good.
gollark: * GTech™™™[ANTIMEME]®
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