Lessons Learned and Key Recommendations from the

Virginia Tech Tragedy

University SettingUniversity Setting

Virginia Tech is a sprawling campus in Virginia Tech is a sprawling campus in rural Blacksburg, Va.rural Blacksburg, Va.

Campus population: 35,000 studentsCampus population: 35,000 students

131 buildings131 buildings

5 full-time officers patrolled the campus & 5 full-time officers patrolled the campus & 9 additional officers in offices9 additional officers in offices

The only alert systems in place were The only alert systems in place were rudimentary phone trees and emailrudimentary phone trees and email

First IncidentFirst Incident7:15 AM April 16, 20077:15 AM April 16, 2007

6:47AM – Seung-Hui Cho spotted outside 6:47AM – Seung-Hui Cho spotted outside West Ambler Johnston Hall (WAJ).West Ambler Johnston Hall (WAJ).7:02AM – Emily Hilscher dropped off by 7:02AM – Emily Hilscher dropped off by boyfriend at WAJ.boyfriend at WAJ.7:15 Cho entered WAJ Hall dormitory 7:15 Cho entered WAJ Hall dormitory room 4040 and shot 19 year old student room 4040 and shot 19 year old student Emily Hilscher.Emily Hilscher.R/A Ryan Clark went to investigate loud R/A Ryan Clark went to investigate loud noises and was also fatally shot.noises and was also fatally shot.

West Ambler HallWest Ambler Hall7:15 AM

Harper Hall

First IncidentFirst Incident

Cho left the building leaving Cho left the building leaving bloody foot prints.bloody foot prints.

7:17 a.m. – Cho’s access card 7:17 a.m. – Cho’s access card swiped at Harper Hall where he swiped at Harper Hall where he changes out of his bloody clothes.changes out of his bloody clothes.

7:20 a.m. – VTPD receives call that a female 7:20 a.m. – VTPD receives call that a female student may have fallen from her loft bed.student may have fallen from her loft bed.

7:24 a.m. – VTPD officer arrives at room 4040 to 7:24 a.m. – VTPD officer arrives at room 4040 to find two people shot inside the room. find two people shot inside the room.

First Incident – First Incident – continued continued

7:30-8:00 a.m. – Based on preliminary interview with 7:30-8:00 a.m. – Based on preliminary interview with Hilscher’s friend, police concluded it was a Hilscher’s friend, police concluded it was a domestic incident and the prime suspect was her domestic incident and the prime suspect was her boyfriend who had left the campus.boyfriend who had left the campus.

7:51 a.m. – VTPD notifies Exec. V.P. which triggers 7:51 a.m. – VTPD notifies Exec. V.P. which triggers meeting of university Policy Groupmeeting of university Policy Group

8:25 a.m. – VT Policy Group meets to plan how to 8:25 a.m. – VT Policy Group meets to plan how to notify students of the homicidesnotify students of the homicides

9:26 a.m. – Warning message sent via email to 9:26 a.m. – Warning message sent via email to campus staff, faulty and students about the dorm campus staff, faulty and students about the dorm shooting.shooting.

Virginia Tech CampusVirginia Tech Campus

Second Incident-Norris Hall Second Incident-Norris Hall

While police investigated the double While police investigated the double homicide, Cho mails a package from the homicide, Cho mails a package from the Blacksburg Post Office to NBC News.Blacksburg Post Office to NBC News.

9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Cho seen outside 9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Cho seen outside Norris Hall. He chains the doors shut on Norris Hall. He chains the doors shut on three main entrances. three main entrances.

On one door he places a note warning the On one door he places a note warning the door is connected to a bomb.door is connected to a bomb.

Norris Hall NoteWritten by Cho

4/16/07

Peter Marone, DirectorVa. Dept of Forensic Science

Second IncidentSecond Incident

9:40 a.m. - Cho begins shooting in classrooms 9:40 a.m. - Cho begins shooting in classrooms on second floor.on second floor.9:45 a.m. – First police officers arrive within 3 9:45 a.m. – First police officers arrive within 3 minutes of receipt of call. Attempts to enter the minutes of receipt of call. Attempts to enter the chained doors failed.chained doors failed.9:50 a.m. – Police shoot open an ordinary lock 9:50 a.m. – Police shoot open an ordinary lock on a fourth entrance not chained and go to the on a fourth entrance not chained and go to the second floor.second floor.9:51 a.m. – Cho shoots himself in the head just 9:51 a.m. – Cho shoots himself in the head just as police reach the second flooras police reach the second floor

Second IncidentSecond Incident

Cho’s shooting spree lasted about 11 minutes.Cho’s shooting spree lasted about 11 minutes.

The massacre continued for 9 minutes after the The massacre continued for 9 minutes after the first 9-1-1 call.first 9-1-1 call.

He fired 174 rounds, killed 30 people in Norris He fired 174 rounds, killed 30 people in Norris Hall plus himself and wounded 17.Hall plus himself and wounded 17.

Police found 17 empty magazines each capable Police found 17 empty magazines each capable of holding 10-15 live cartridges (122 for the of holding 10-15 live cartridges (122 for the Glock pistol and 81 for the Walther pistol). Glock pistol and 81 for the Walther pistol).

University Plan and SecurityUniversity Plan and Security

Key Findings:Key Findings:The Emergency Plan was deficientThe Emergency Plan was deficient– No threat assessment teamNo threat assessment team– No provision for an active shooter scenario No provision for an active shooter scenario – No critical incident command level authority for No critical incident command level authority for

campus police in decision making hierarchycampus police in decision making hierarchy

Crisis Communication PlanCrisis Communication Plan– Emergency message protocol was cumbersome, Emergency message protocol was cumbersome,

untimely, and problematicuntimely, and problematic– An all campus population alert is critical when An all campus population alert is critical when

there is imminent dangerthere is imminent danger

University Setting and SecurityUniversity Setting and Security

Key Findings:Key Findings:

No active shooter response training or No active shooter response training or procedures for faculty/staff/studentsprocedures for faculty/staff/students

No classrooms could be locked from insideNo classrooms could be locked from inside

The Emergency Response Plan did not The Emergency Response Plan did not reflect the primary role of campus police as reflect the primary role of campus police as law enforcementlaw enforcement

University Setting and SecurityUniversity Setting and Security Emergency Planning- Emergency Planning- Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Check exterior door hardware Check exterior door hardware to ensure that they are not to ensure that they are not subject to being chained shut.subject to being chained shut.

Classrooms and offices should Classrooms and offices should be able to be locked from the inside.be able to be locked from the inside.

Take bomb threats seriously. Students and Take bomb threats seriously. Students and staff should report them immediately, even if staff should report them immediately, even if most do turn out to be false alarms.most do turn out to be false alarms.

University Setting and Security University Setting and Security Emergency Planning RecommendationsEmergency Planning Recommendations

Universities should do a risk analysis (threat Universities should do a risk analysis (threat assessment) and then choose a level of security assessment) and then choose a level of security appropriate for their campus.appropriate for their campus.

Institutions of higher learning should have a threat Institutions of higher learning should have a threat assessment team that includes representatives assessment team that includes representatives from:from:– law enforcement; law enforcement; – human resources; human resources; – student and academic affairs;student and academic affairs;– legal counsel; andlegal counsel; and– mental health services.mental health services.

University Setting and Security University Setting and Security Emergency Planning RecommendationsEmergency Planning Recommendations

Students, faculty, and staff should be Students, faculty, and staff should be trained annually about responding to trained annually about responding to various emergencies and about the various emergencies and about the notification systems that will be used.notification systems that will be used.

Universities and colleges must comply Universities and colleges must comply with the Clery Act, which requires with the Clery Act, which requires timely public warnings of imminent timely public warnings of imminent danger.danger.

University Setting and Security University Setting and Security Campus Alerting RecommendationsCampus Alerting Recommendations

Campus emergency communications Campus emergency communications systems must have multiple means of systems must have multiple means of sharing information.sharing information.

In an emergency, immediate messages must In an emergency, immediate messages must be sent to the campus community that be sent to the campus community that provide clear information on the nature of provide clear information on the nature of the emergency and actions to be taken.the emergency and actions to be taken.

Campus police as well as administration Campus police as well as administration officials should have the authority and officials should have the authority and capability to send an emergency message.capability to send an emergency message.

University Setting and Security University Setting and Security Police Role & Training RecommendationsPolice Role & Training Recommendations

The head of campus police should be a The head of campus police should be a member of a threat assessment team as well member of a threat assessment team as well as the emergency response team for the as the emergency response team for the university.university.

Campus police must report directly to the Campus police must report directly to the senior operations officer responsible for senior operations officer responsible for emergency decision making.emergency decision making.

The mission statement of campus police The mission statement of campus police should give primacy to their law enforcement should give primacy to their law enforcement and crime prevention role.and crime prevention role.

Law Enforcement Lessons LearnedLaw Enforcement Lessons Learned

Campus police everywhere Campus police everywhere should train with local law should train with local law enforcement agencies on enforcement agencies on response to active shooters response to active shooters and other emergencies.and other emergencies.

Police should escort survivors out of Police should escort survivors out of buildings, where circumstances and buildings, where circumstances and manpower permit.manpower permit.

Campus Mental Health Services Campus Mental Health Services RecommendationsRecommendations

Universities should promote the sharing of Universities should promote the sharing of student information internally, and with the student information internally, and with the student’s family, when significant student’s family, when significant circumstances pertaining to health and circumstances pertaining to health and safety arise.safety arise.

Incidents of aberrant, dangerous, or Incidents of aberrant, dangerous, or threatening behavior must be documented threatening behavior must be documented and reported immediately to a college’s and reported immediately to a college’s threat assessment group, and must be acted threat assessment group, and must be acted upon in a prompt and effective manner to upon in a prompt and effective manner to protect the safety of the campus community.protect the safety of the campus community.

Campus Mental Health ServicesCampus Mental Health ServicesRecommendationsRecommendations

Colleges and Universities must have a Colleges and Universities must have a system that links troubled students to :system that links troubled students to :– appropriate medical and counseling appropriate medical and counseling

services;services;– either on or off campus; andeither on or off campus; and– balance individual’s rights with rights of all balance individual’s rights with rights of all

others for safety.others for safety.

Campus Mental Health Services Campus Mental Health Services RecommendationsRecommendations

Policies and procedures should be Policies and procedures should be implemented to require professors and implemented to require professors and staff encountering aberrant, dangerous, staff encountering aberrant, dangerous, or threatening behavior from a student or threatening behavior from a student to report them to the Dean.to report them to the Dean.

Reporting requirements must be clearly Reporting requirements must be clearly established and reviewed during established and reviewed during annual training. annual training.

Campus Emergency Management Campus Emergency Management Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

A Unified Command Post should have been A Unified Command Post should have been established.established.

A Unified Command Post should have been A Unified Command Post should have been staffed by those having staffed by those having statutory authority.statutory authority.– In this incident, law enforcement would have been In this incident, law enforcement would have been

the lead agency.the lead agency.

The Unified Command should communicate The Unified Command should communicate directly with EOC and policymaking group.directly with EOC and policymaking group.

Campus Emergency Management Campus Emergency Management Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Failure to open an Failure to open an EEmergency mergency OOperations perations CCenter (EOC) led to communications and enter (EOC) led to communications and coordination issues during the incident.coordination issues during the incident.

– The EOC is usually located at a pre-The EOC is usually located at a pre-designated site that can be quickly activated designated site that can be quickly activated having 2 main goals:having 2 main goals:

Support emergency respondersSupport emergency responders

Ensure continuity of operations Ensure continuity of operations within campus communitywithin campus community

Campus Emergency Management Campus Emergency Management Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

The EOC should The EOC should NOTNOT function as the incident function as the incident commander.commander.

The policy making group The policy making group should function within the EOC.should function within the EOC.

A A JJoint oint IInformation nformation CCenter should be enter should be established within the EOC to established within the EOC to coordinate all public information.coordinate all public information.

Campus Emergency Management Campus Emergency Management Response RecommendationsResponse Recommendations

A unified command post A unified command post should be established and should be established and operated based on the NIMS operated based on the NIMS Incident Command System Incident Command System model.model.

An Emergency Operations Center must An Emergency Operations Center must be activated during a mass casualty be activated during a mass casualty incident.incident.

Campus Emergency Management Campus Emergency Management Recovery RecommendationsRecovery Recommendations

Recovery plans should include a section on Recovery plans should include a section on victim services that addresses the significant victim services that addresses the significant impact of homicide and other disaster-impact of homicide and other disaster-related deaths on:related deaths on:- survivors; - survivors; andand - the role of victim service providers.- the role of victim service providers.

When a family assistance center is created When a family assistance center is created after a mass casualty event, victim advocates after a mass casualty event, victim advocates should be called in immediately. should be called in immediately.

Campus Emergency Management Campus Emergency Management Recovery RecommendationsRecovery Recommendations

Both short- and long-term counseling should Both short- and long-term counseling should be made available to first responders, be made available to first responders, students, staff, faculty members, and students, staff, faculty members, and university leaders.university leaders.

Universities and colleges should work with Universities and colleges should work with their local government partners to improve their local government partners to improve plans for mutual aid in all areas of crisis plans for mutual aid in all areas of crisis response, including that of victim services.response, including that of victim services.

Source:Mass Shooting at Virginia Tech

April 16, 2007

Report of the Virginia Tech Review Panel

Presented by

Ron Ellis, DirectorSchool & Campus Security Training Program

Illinois Terrorism Task Forcerellis@isbe.net