Virginia Tech Massacre Timeline - Aftermath

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.
• 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."
• 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.

• 8:00 p.m.: A candlelight vigil was held on the University Drillfield.

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".
• 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.

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.
• Cho's family issues statement of apology.

Monday, April 23

• William Massello, an assistant state medical examiner, said autopsies of Cho's 33 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.

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.