Gunman in Virginia Tech massacre had raised concerns with his disturbing writings

[Zenlitened]

Source: Associated Press

Gunman in Virginia Tech massacre had raised concerns with his disturbing writings

By Adam Geller, AP | April 17, 2007

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- The gunman suspected of carrying out the Virginia Tech massacre that left 33 people dead was identified Tuesday as a English major whose creative writing was so disturbing that he was referred to the school's counseling service.

(snip)

Professor Carolyn Rude, chairwoman of the university's English department, said she did not personally know the gunman. But she said she spoke with Lucinda Roy, the department's director of creative writing, who had Cho in one of her classes and described him as "troubled."

"There was some concern about him," Rude said. "Sometimes, in creative writing, people reveal things and you never know if it's creative or if they're describing things, if they're imagining things or just how real it might be. But we're all alert to not ignore things like this."

She said Cho was referred to the counseling service, but she said she did not know when, or what the outcome was. Rude refused to release any of his writings or his grades, citing privacy laws.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/04/17/gunman_in_virginia_tech_massacre_had_raised_concerns_with_his_disturbing_writings/

[Ganja Ninja]

1. When is his myspace page going to turn up?

I'm sure that's coming.

[acmavm]

9. It already has.

[minkyboodle]

10. really?

thats crazy but not surprising

[acmavm]

12. Someone posted it here earlier.

[minkyboodle]

17. surprising

I figured myspace would have nixed it by now.

[Kagemusha]

2. Dumb question: I thought the dead had no right to privacy?

Not that I even know if a death certificate is official yet but, it was my impression that the dead have no right to privacy, and can't be tried or convicted. The perils and privileges of death I guess.

[Zenlitened]

4. Hmmm... that's an interesting question. I'm not sure what the answer is.

Did his writings show someone who was "simply" depressed and thus in need of some sympathetic intervention? Or did he also appear to be a threat -- to himself? to others? -- suggesting there was a more complicated mental illness happening there?

Or maybe he was, simply put, just a rotten person -- angry, abusive, controlling, etc. Other posts and articles I've seen here on DU reference him setting a fire, and stalking classmates. So it's possible the Big Picture adds up to something alarming.

I dunno.

Easy to sift through the scattered clues after-the-fact. Beforehand? Different story, I suppose.

:(

[damntexdem]

6. Especially when the class is creative writing.

[alcibiades_mystery]

25. Professor Rude is following internal policies

She's not making a legal point.

[woodsprite]

3. It's a sad situation in the world today,

but I caution my daughter that she must choose her words and subject carefully whenever they have a creative writing piece at school.

[slackmaster]

5. I am Joe's total lack of surprise

Moody loaner with disturbing writings, to the point where he was referred to counseling.

Check.

Next we'll learn that he was taking antidepressants.

[Vilis Veritas]

7. It says that in the article. n/t

[Javaman]

8. Recent note discovered in his apt...

"I sit here all alone. The wall paint today is the same color as yesterday. However, I can't take it when the butter laughs at me. That butter thinks it's so cool. It's just pissing me off. I tell it to shut up, but it just laughs louder. I tried ignoring it and spoke to the chair instead. How was I to know that the chair and the butter had a thing? great. So now I just stand all day eating dry toast. The toast doesn't like it, well that's just tough shit. the carpet is a bit more friendly, but the butter has been talking to it and now the carpet is not allowing me to stand on it. I have to hop from furniture piece to furniture. Thank goodness the couch is just a couch. Sigh. I need to find a hobby. The gun in the closet keeps singing to me. Hmmm, I didn't know it knew funky town?"

[bluedog]

11. does gun say "I'm your only friend"?

this guy sounds crazy!

[hang a left]

13. The kid really sounds like he was schizophrenic.

The onset is generally late teens early twenties. Could be why he was so reclusive, he was listening to his voices.

I think we may find, that this is a person who was seriously mentally ill and hearing voices and having delusions.

[spotbird]

14. That was my very first thought

when I learned of the shootings.

[candice]

15. Why do we need to have assault rifles available? What purpose do they serve...

other than mass murder and profits for gun manufacturers and dealers. When will this madness stop?

[LostinVA]

21. I agree about assault rifles, but the shooter used a pistol and a revolver

[Thothmes]

27. shooter

He used two semi-automatic hand guns, one was a 9mm and the other was a 22 caliber.

[Ronnie]

16. Sounds like the beginning of a John Sandford novel.

Hm. "______ Prey"

[JVS]

19. oooh Emo!

[woo me with science]

20. Where did you find this?

Do you have a link?

Thanks.

[LostinVA]

22. I think the poster is -- errr -- joking

[woo me with science]

24. Okay, was confused by

some of the apparently serious responses on the thread. Thanks.

[Bushwick Bill]

18. Here are two of the plays.

Cho Seung-Hui's Plays

AOL News has obtained two plays a classmate says were written by Cho Seung-Hui. Ian MacFarlane, the former classmate and current AOL employee, provided us with the plays. A note from Mr. MacFarlane and links to the works appear below.
http://newsbloggers.aol.com/2007/04/17/cho-seung-huis-plays/

[dweller]

23. if those are for real

they are very, very disturbing.

dp

[jberryhill]

26. He didn't like overpriviliged, spoiled rich kids...

...who engaged in debauchery in college.

Hmmmm... where have I heard that kind of thing before...