Christian Robinson

Staff Writer

    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) was shaken by tragedy this month. The shooting of a campus police office and the apparent suicide of his shooter have stirred past emotions related to Virginia Tech’s tragic 2007 shooting.

      University police officer Deriek Crouse was shot to death by a student of neighboring Radford University, Ross Truett Ashley who later took his own life.

     The shooting occurred in a parking lot near Virginia Tech’s football stadium while Crouse was performing a routine traffic stop. The shooter was not the driver of the car, however. The murder was seemingly a random act of violence by the shooter, Ross Ashley. The motive for the shooting remains unknown. Ashley was later found near the scene, dead from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head. When university officials became aware an officer was down, they responded with a lockdown order that lasted throughout most of the day. One VT student, Andrew McElvarr said in an interview with WDBJ television during the lock down, “Everyone is just waiting, watching, trying to figure out what’s happening.”

     Virginia Tech is no stranger to violence. The school was impacted by the 2007 shooting, perpetrated by Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 people and injured 25 others. He, like Ashley, took his own life shortly after the fact.

     Ironically, Virginia tech officials had been in court immediately before the shooting appealing a $55,000 fine assessed after the   2007 murders. The courts determined the university had failed to properly notify the student body in a timely manner after Seung-Hio Cho had taken the lives of his first two victims.

     Despite the calamity that continues to affect Virginia Teach, the college’s students and faculty remain optimistic and united. A student-run group by the name of “Hokies for Crouse” organized a fundraiser for the memorial fund of officer Deriek Crouse. Approximately $100,000 has been donated thus far. Governor Bob McDonnell had this to say in response to the shooting, "I have no doubt that the students, alumni and faculty of this proud institution will emerge from this sad day stronger and more united than ever before."