quote:

ORIGINAL: Pulpsmack

Ok... a few things:

Buying one gun, waiting the required 30 days, and buying the next doesn't really suggest premeditation. It is not uncommon for gun enthusiasts to make multiple purchases in a short period of time.

You are missing the point of the article.  The police are trying
to find answers in regards the shooter's interest and motivation.
 
Gun enthusiasts are not the subject of the article.

Neither gun is very expensive in the firearms world. A Glock is the "harbor freight" of tools with respect to price. They are sold typically for $550 new. My concealed carry pistol cost more than $2000. The average cost of a gun for carry is about $400-$750, although it's not uncommon to see examples that top $1,000.

Interesting information, thank you for sharing.

The Walther pistol doesn't add up to me as premeditation. In fact, it seems to be the opposite. The .22 cartridge can be deadly in a surprise attack (assassinating a diplomat sitting in a restaurant) but once people start running it is a wounding weapon (which is why it is a terrible self-defense weapon). These weapons are particularly useful for training since .22 ammo is the cheapest of all, but I don't see one week being much time for some elaborate plan (maybe if the purchases of the guns were reversed... maybe).

You are viewing this information from your own life experience
and education about firearms.  His were different from yours.
 
The initial evidence gathering is happening now.  More will
be forthcoming in the next weeks and months.  I am hoping
there is more evidence on his hard-drive and other sources of
electronic data storage.

If he was planning properly he would have purchased a second Glock 17. Both use the same magazines and ammo so if one should fail/jam, all the ammo he carries will still work in the other gun. Moreover that's two sets of magazines to fumble around with... .22 mags for the Walther, and 9mm mags for the Glock. If he planned this ahead of time, he didn't do it very  well with respect to firearms selection (which is terrifying given the amount of deaths involved).

No one is saying this bloke was smart about what he did.
The over-all personality profile that is emerging is of a
depressed man who was also very anti-social and filled
with rage.

quote:

ORIGINAL: OrionTheWolf

If a single teacher or employee had a weapon and was trained, would the outcome have been different?

I heard a news report that said even campus police were not allowed firearms.


Orion

quote:

ORIGINAL: lostsoulskitten

What gets both my kitten and I on all of this is the second shooting was preventable alltogether.  In Texas, high schools colleges and all here if there is a threat int he area, for example a car chase or anything, the schools go to automatic lockdown pretty much.

That is the part that bothers me.  Why wasn't the school secured
if the shooter was still loose?

How can you say a shooter fled an area, think it is a totally domestic incident, think he has left the state,  and not secure the campus to total lockdown and warn students what is going on.  What was he doing for the two hours between the two incidents?  If in fact he did chain the doors shut in the engineering building, why didnt someone say something as a sure fire sign trouble was imminent? Surely someone would have been suspicious seeing the doors locked..  It just makes no sense.. The entire second incident should not have even happened..   Virgina tech really did a horrible job in all of this protecting and warning their students and faculty.

I am of the same opinion.  The whole campus needed to be secured
and on lock down until the shooter was brought into custody.

quote:

ORIGINAL: farglebargle

It is the individuals RESPONSIBILITY to see to THEIR OWN safety and security.

That's WHY we have a 2nd Amendment.

Don't expect 911 to save you. 911's a joke.

You are on your own.