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Massacre gunman's deadly infatuation with Emily
Last updated at 10:13am on 18.04.07The student gunman who killed 32 at a US university might have been motivated by a mad fit of jealousy, it has emerged.
Detectives believe that Cho Seung-Hui was obsessed by 18-year-old student Emily Hilscher, one of his first two victims.
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The face of a killer: Gunman Cho Seung-Hul, and Emily Hilscher, the student who became his obsession - and one of his first victims
Tears were combined with Hokie pride at the candlelight vigil in Blacksburg on Tuesday as students showed their solidarity with and support for one another, even if they did not know the victims
The baby-faced South Korean, 23, had become infatuated by her.
Dressed more like a 'boy scout' than a mass murderer, he arrived at her dormitory room early on Monday morning.
It is unclear whether the first-year had responded to her killer's approaches. But Cho, jealous of Emily's boyfriend, gunned her down.
Another student, Ryan Clark, rushed to help after hearing his neighbour arguing with Cho. But the 22-year-old died alongside her.
Cho, who was described as a loner, then casually walked back to his own room, re-armed and embarked on an orgy of violence making him the most deadly murderer in American history.
Before killing 30 more, and then turning the gun on himself, Cho left a note which gave some clues to his twisted mind. He wrote: 'You caused me to do this'.
The 'very disturbing' letter, four pages long, includes a rambling list of grievances and attacks against 'rich kids', 'debauchery' and 'deceitful charlatans' on campus.
He died with the words 'Ismail Ax' written in red ink on the inside of one of his arms, leading to speculation that he may have been a Muslim. In Islamic lore, Ismail is a reference to the 'son of sacrifice'.
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Ryan Clark, 22, Emily's neighbour and a student counsellor who may have tried to intervene between Emily and the killer. He died with a bullet wound to the neck
Cho arrived in the US as a boy in 1992. His family own a dry-cleaning business in a suburb of Washington DC.
The student's behaviour had recently become increasingly violent and erratic. He had set fire to a dormitory room and been taking medication for depression.
He had also been stalking other woman and become angered by wealthier, popular students who froze him out at Virginia Tech.
So disturbing was his creative writing that the English student had been referred to the university's counselling service.
According to the website The Smoking Gun, Cho wrote a one-act play as part of a short-story class. Called Richard McBeef, it featured a 13-year-old boy who accuses his stepfather of paedophilia and murder.
The teenager talks of killing the older man, depicts the child's mother brandishing a chainsaw at the stepfather. It ends as the man strikes the boy 'with a deadly blow.'
Professor Carolyn Rude, head of the university's English department, said she had spoken with Lucinda Roy, the director of creative writing, who taught Cho and described him as 'troubled'.
Professor Rude refused to release any of the killer's writing, citing privacy laws, but said: "There was some concern about him. Sometimes, in creative writing, people reveal things and you never know if it's creative or if they're describing things, if they're imaging things or just how real it might be. But we're all alert to not ignore things like this."
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Emily Hilscher, right, and the first photograph of her boyfriend, Karl Thornhill. Friends have insisted there were no problems between the couple
Police said a bomb-threat note was found near Cho's body. They think two previous bomb threats in previous weeks may be connected to him.
Tributes to Emily have been posted on the internet site Facebook. On a webpage dedicated to her, one friend said: "I'm sorry she ever got involved with this guy."
On her MySpace page, which she had not updated since October, 2006, she wrote: "I live, love and get booted (high, stoned or drunk) but eventually that will change... I now have a wonderful guy who is hopefully going to change all of that."
College friends said her new boyfriend had just dropped her off before the massacre on Monday.
George Bush and his wife Laura attended a memorial service at the university in Blacksburg yesterday. The US president said: "Laura and I have come to Blacksburg today with hearts full of sorrow.
"This is a day of mourning for the Virginia Tech community and it is a day of sadness for our entire nation."
Campus chiefs have faced mounting criticism over a fatal delay in warning students that the gunman was on the loose.
It was more than two hours after the first shootings - and minutes before 30 more were gunned down - before any email was circulated.
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U.S. President George Bush bows his head in sorrow at the vigil, left. Right, grief etched on the faces of students
One student, Billy Bason said: "I think the university has blood on their hands because of their lack of action after the first incident."
Virginia state police chief, Colonel Steve Flaherty said bodies were strewn around four classrooms and a stairwell.
"We know that there were a number of heroic events that took place within minutes of this tragedy unfolding.
"The gunman was discovered among several of the victims in one of the classrooms. He had taken his own life."
He had shot himself in the head and was only identified by fingerprints and immigration records.
Cho legally bought one of his weapons from a gunshop five weeks ago and the other in the last week, it was claimed last night.
He was captured on CCTV at the Roanoke Firearms shop about 50 miles from the university.
A member of staff at the gunshop, writing on a weapons blog, said police told him Cho had filed off the serial numbers on both handguns - which can be bought for less than £500.
When he embarked on his killing spree, Cho was carrying a backpack which contained a receipt for a Glock 9mm pistol, as well as two knives and additional ammunition.
Police said two handguns - 9mm and 22mm weapons - were recovered from the scene of the second shooting One had been used to kill the first two victims.
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Doctors who treated the wounded said Cho had peppered his victims with bullets.
"This guy was out to kill everyone he came in contact with, not just to shoot the gun," said Dr Joseph Cacioppo of Montgomery Regional Hospital. "Everyone we saw in the emergency room had more than one wound."
At least three of the university's staff were among the dead. They included Professor Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor who later escaped from Communist Romania. The engineering professor, 76, died a hero, barricading the door to his lecture room allowing students to escape.
More survivors told of the chilling scenes and miraculous escapes. One described the gunman's 'maniacal laughter' and said he had a 'serious but calm' look as he walked around looking for fresh victims.
Erin Sheehan described Cho as "dressed sort of strangely, almost like a boy scout, very short-sleeved light, tan shirt and some sort of ammo vest."
She survived by playing dead in her German class. Cho targeted all 25 in the room, she said. He strolled away - but returned 30 seconds.
"I guess he heard us talking," she said. "We forced ourselves against the door. He came and tried to force himself in and started shooting through the door."
Reader views (10)
I believe people in America and all over the world should wake up and see that there are people out there in our world murdering other innocent people. This incident at Virginia Tech is tragic and extremely upsetting. There were 32 young adult lives that were taken by a guy with a twisted mind. I do not believe that he should have been able to walk into a store and buy a gun with a history of mental illness. This world is a world full of violence and hatred. Innocent people lose their lives every day because of people with twisted minds. We really need to check the background history’s of people when buying a weapon. My heart goes out to all families of the Virginia Tech tragical event.
- Anonymous, anonymous
Three things about life '100 years ago' one was guns were not anywhere near as powerful or effective as guns today. A modern sidearm like the glock has a much larger magazine and if much more easy and reliable to fire than the revolvers and bolt-action rifles they had back then. It is harder to engage in a massacre if you only have a handful of shots before a long reloading process. Two is the population was much much smaller. Three - there was a reason why they called it the 'Wild' west. I hardly think it was safer back then.
Why shouldn't there be a psych evaluation as part of a licensing system for gun ownership? I there is certainly a proper evaluation (at least in Australia) of driving skills before one is given a PROVISIONAL driver's license, why not make it harder to get a gun?
- Bob Hu, Sydney, Australia
When you have such liberal gun laws- things like these are going to happen. This should be a clear warning to Tony Blair, and he should start imposing stricter gun laws for the UK, to make our streets and kids safer!
- Raminder Bhalla, Northolt
First and foremost, I'm deeply saddened to learn of the most recent tragedy affecting the nation as well as the world. My heart goes out to the many families affected by what has happened at VTech. I think we need to pause and reflect on what is causing these people to commit such cold and calculated acts. While greater gun control can certainly curb the violence, these crimes do not occur simply because guns are available. It makes me shudder to think of how and why so many people have become capable of such atrocities.
- K Kelley, US
After Columbine I thought gun control activists had the right idea, but now I'm not so sure.
100 years ago there was a gun in practically every US household and no mass shootings. Now very few people own guns. Sure, now there are more guns than ever, but fewer gun owners in comparison to the past.
It's not the guns causing these shootings, it's an attitude change within our citizens, that it's okay to shoot people when you're pissed off about something. I don't now if it's violence in the popular culture or what, but it's there.
Another thing that has made me rethink my position on gun ownership: these cowards who shoot unarmed innocents wouldn't be so brave if they thought someone might actually shoot back at them.
- Not So Sure, California, USA
Anne - do you really fail to see how gun controls would help? I find that surprising. If you could get a free gun with a bank account or buy from the local Tescos - gun crime in the UK would almost certainly increase.
The argument that people should arm to defend themselves is also ridiculous. This, in effect, is out-sourcing security from the police to the general public. Pretty similar in fact to the Wild West - conditions which neither apply to the UK or the US.
The Government should implement stringent gun controls and spend more on preventing the trade in illegal weapons. This is the only way to prevent these atrocities.
- James, London
Can we let America grieve first, before people tell them how to run their own Country?
- Paul Jardine, Bromley, Kent
I'm sorry but gun controls are in place in the UK and we have shootings here (admittedly not on this scale YET) so I fail to see how it would help. If someone is desperate enough to carry out an act of violence like this they will find a way to get a gun - we have children carrying guns in South London for goodness sake!
- Anne, London, UK
We have some of the most stringent gun controls in the world. It still doesn't stop kids from killing each other as the last few weeks in London and other cities have shown.
- Ivor, Harrow, UK
Once again America's children are sacrificed on the alter of the NRA. Will the US government never learn? How many more must die before gun controls are finally introduced and enforced?
- C Pittol, London
