With so much attention given to the violent bombings in Boston, Virginia Tech is remembering a terrible tragedy of its own today. It's been six years since shooter Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and injured 17 on the Virginia Tech campus, and then shot himself to death. Today, his victims are being remembered in a series of events.
The college's Day of Remembrance began early this morning with a candle lighting at midnight. It will burn all day, until it's extinguished tonight at midnight. At 11:30 this morning, a community picnic is planned. There are sites for "quiet reflection" set up around campus.
The campus has arranged for a moment of silence planned for 9:43 a.m., while state flags will be lowered to half-staff all day. Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell also declared today a state Day of Remembrance, and bells in the capitol's tower will ring once for each victim.
Last weekend as part of the memorial events, Virginia Tech staged art exhibits, performances, a memorial run and an open house forum to discuss violence prevention issues. Alumni around the country have also staged memorial events of their own, ranging from tree plantings to blood drives.
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