Gunman fired 170-plus shots in Virginia massacre

Source: Xinhuanet | 04-26-2007 08:33

Cho Seung-Hui, a student from South Korea identified as the gunman who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech University, is seen in this police handout released April 17, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

WASHINGTON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. investigators said the student-turned-gunman who carried out the massacre at Virginia Tech fired more than 170 rounds in 9 minutes, Fox News reported Wednesday.

While new details about the case like this are being released, investigators still do not know exactly what drove Cho Seung-Hui, the gunman, to kill 32 people before shooting himself to death on April 16, according to the report.

"We talk about possible motives and theories and what not, but we don't have any evidence to suggest anything," said Virginia State Police Superintendent Col. W. Steven Flaherty.

Flaherty said investigators had compiled 500 piece of evidence from Norris Hall, one of the two killing grounds in the case.

Evidence showed that Cho, a senior student in the university, chained three public entrances to Norris Hall before starting his rampage through the classrooms where he killed 30 students and teachers.

Two hours earlier, he had shot down his first victims in West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dormitory across campus.

Computer files, cell phone records and e-mails of Cho have yielded no evidence about what triggered his violence or whether he singled out any of his 32 victims.

Investigators also found no close links between the 23 year-old loner and his victims.

They are still unable to answer one of the case's most vexing questions:

Why the spree began at the West Ambler Johnston dorm, and why 18-year-old freshman Emily Hilscher was the first victim.

Neither Cho's nor Hilscher's records have revealed a connection.

Police said it could be months before the case is closed and the investigation will begin slowing down as authorities examine evidence.

Editor:Du Xiaodan