The First Of Many

Unfortunately Name officially released.

Ryan Clark of Martinez is one of the 31 victims of Monday’s shootings at Virginia Tech, according to Columbia County Coroner Vernon Collins.

Clark is believed to have been shot in the first string of shootings that occurred in a dormitory.

Clark is the son of Stan and Lettie Clark of Old Petersburg Road. He has a twin brother.

An autopsy will be performed, but because of the high number of victims, it may take days to complete.

Comments

[bloodrage bob]

why an autopsy for an obvious GSW? who's going to be helped by that? NOW they wanna get all busy and efficient and follow procedures to the letter?

[docweasel]

How can someone possibly get killed by being shot at VaTech? Its a GUN FREE ZONE, that means no guns allowed.

I'm not making a joke, its an ironic comment about my feeling that the ONLY way to stop a determined maniac from mass murder is to kill him. And the only way to have enough security to stop a maniac, at least before he kills 30+ people, is to enlist responsible citizens as peacekeepers. And the way you do this is allow people who wish to, to arm themselves and carry firearms. If ever anything proved there is no such thing as a "gun free zone", this is it. Its a wrong-headed, and in this case, disasterous policy. And right away I see the media is asking questions about "when are politicians going to do more about gun control?".

It should be the opposite. Every campus should have a firearms safety and proficiency test, and qualified students and faculty should be allowed to be armed. Tell me how it could be any worse than what we have now?

[Dan Riehl]

I just don't care about the politics right now, Doc ... it's just so sad. So terribly sad. So much young life gone for nothing. It's just starting to sink in and so terribly terribly sad. God bless the families and friends of the fallen.

[docweasel]

Ok, fair enough, but next its important to try to determine how to stop this kind of thing from happening. Its not like a one shot deal, it happens with terrible frequency in the US. I look at it as a public safety issue rather than a political one.

[Hokie Girl]

Thank you Dan for your continued and fair support. We are all still reeling and will be for many months to come. Everything changed today. Our world was literally blown apart and for respectfully reporting the infomation you have put out, we thank you.

Today all Virginians are Hokie's (even your most die-hard Caveliers)

We will weather this storm.

[Buzzy]

My heart goes out as well as my prayers for the victims, their friends and families and all of the VaTech community at large over this.

[Phoenix]

I heard one of the kids killed is from my town. I've been watching the news for hours and I can't quit thinking about the parents. It's kind of strange to feel a kind of numb feeling when you watch, but I think it comes from disbelief. I'm having to fight the urge to go get my daughter who is at a nearby university. Shew... this is so so sad. :(

.
I'll just add this so maybe it will help. Schools place signs: Drug Free Zone; Gun Free Zone so that they can prosecute if anyone infringes on what are accepted as natural 'laws of a particular environment'.

[Darth Malice]

Dan,you are right,but not even before the bodies were cold that the liberal press corp was screaming at Bush's spokeswoman about more gun control.

[Phoenix]

Headlines all over Europe are about the American penchant for a 'gun society'. They all seem oblivious to the fact this could just as easily happen at one of their universities. I guess they have figured who needs guns when you have guillotines, ovens, crosses to burn witches, rapier swords for duels to solve discontent, and looking-down-one's-nose to stop dissent.

I know I'm being an asshole. I just felt like descending to their level.