Virginia tech on alert for alleged suspect with handgun on campus

Commonly known as Virginia Tech, the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, located in Blacksburg of the state of Virginia, the educational institution went through a situation which brings back memories from the Virginia Tech massacre of April 2007. This thursday (03), three juveniles reported that a man was seen with a handgun on campus. Since then, all students and staff that were inside the facilities were told to remain indoors.

Constant Updates

Because of the 2007 event, which granted a fine to the university for the time it took until they warned people inside about what was going on, Virginia Tech has been updating their official site with information about what is going on to avoid another tragic episode. The fine was applied this year and the argument is that university authorities waited until 9:26 a.m. while the shooting began at 7:15 a.m.

This time, the first message, publicized at 10:35 a.m.) said that “at 9:09 a.m. three juveniles attending a camp at the university reported seeing a white male, 6 feet tall, with light brown hair outside of New Residence Hall East holding what may have been a handgun.Officers responded immediately to the area but found no one matching the description.” Other information were posted on an hourly basis.

Probable Portrait

At around 1 p.m., officers in charge of the case had a sketch of what the suspect is thought to look like. Once the image was available on the Virginia Tech official website, the information says that if anyone identifies itself as the person on the drawing, but is not a criminal or carrying a handgun, then to be presented to officers and clear up the situation.

Even with the image online, the suspect was not seen again by anyone else but the three juveniles who made the first report. The Virginia Tech website alerts to the fact that their campus is very large, which makes the search missions take a very long time. On the other hand, officers still do not know if there even is a weapon inside Virginia Tech, as witnesses believe it was covered with clothes.