The Virginia Tech assassin, “a poor loner”

Seoul (AsiaNews) –  The author of the worst shooting spree in US history has been revealed to have been a “loner”,  whose family emigrated to the United States in the early ‘90’s to escape poverty in Seoul.   This information however, is not sufficient to explain Cho Seung-hui’s massacre of 32 students and professors two days ago in Viriginia Tech University.

This is according to state police superintendent Steve Flaherty, who confirmed a handgun had been recovered from the scene, but was unable to explain the arm’s origins as the serial numbers had been filed off.  

Flaherty’s declarations have been confirmed by a number of eye witnesses, according to whom Cho was “a student who preferred his own company, perhaps due to difficulties with the language”.  The police and university officials have also revealed the existence of disturbed “writing” found in the young student’s dorm room.  Cho however, was studying creative writing; therefore the texts could simply be examples of course exercises.    

Yet because of these writings Cho had been referred to the counselling service by a course Professor.  In the pages he railed against "rich kids", "debauchery" and "how I would like to kill my professor”.

The young man arrived in the United States with his family in 1992.  His father, Cho Seong-tae, had decided to leave the Seoul suburbs to escape poverty.   The family had moved to an apartment owned by Lim Bong-ae, who recounts: “I don’t know what they did for a living, but they were poor”.

Among the certified victims of the massacre is a young Indian girl, Minal Panchal, from Mumbai. Upon till last night her family were hoping on a miracle, given that the young women had been pronounced “missing”.  This morning however authorities confirmed her death. 

Minal, who was studying construction science, is remembered by her neighbours as “a quiet, reserved and well mannered girl”.  She graduated from the faculty of Architecture at Rizvi College in 1998 and had left for America three months ago.

S.G.A. Zaida, faculty rector told AsiaNews: “It is a very sad thing that in so-called civilized countries, professors and students lives are so insecure.  What happened in Virginia Tech was a great loss, not only for India but for the United States and the whole world”.

What’s more, he concludes, “events such as these are not only of detriment for future students, but also for parents who strive with great fatigue to enable their children study abroad”.