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| Virginia Tech: Campus lockdown lifted after two dead | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Officials at Virginia Tech university have lifted a lockdown on campus after a police officer and another person were shot dead. | |
| Officials said the gunfire began when a Virginia Tech police officer made a routine traffic stop on campus. | |
| Reports suggested that the gunman was the second victim, but university officials and police would not confirm. | |
| Virginia Tech was the site of the worst US school shooting in 2007, when a gunman killed 32 people and himself. | |
| On Thursday police swarmed the campus looking for the shooting suspect, a white male, after he escaped on foot. | |
| Virginia Tech said on its website: "Shortly after noon today, a Virginia Tech police officer stopped a vehicle on campus during a routine traffic stop in the Coliseum parking lot near McComas Hall. | Virginia Tech said on its website: "Shortly after noon today, a Virginia Tech police officer stopped a vehicle on campus during a routine traffic stop in the Coliseum parking lot near McComas Hall. |
| "During the traffic stop, the officer was shot and killed. There were witnesses to this shooting. | "During the traffic stop, the officer was shot and killed. There were witnesses to this shooting. |
| "Witnesses reported to police the shooter fled on foot heading toward the Cage, a parking lot near Duck Pond Drive. At that parking lot, a second person was found. That person is also deceased." | "Witnesses reported to police the shooter fled on foot heading toward the Cage, a parking lot near Duck Pond Drive. At that parking lot, a second person was found. That person is also deceased." |
| In a Twitter update issued at 1630 EST (2130 GMT), the university said there were "no new reports" of suspicious activity. "The status of the shooter remains unknown." | |
| Officials then gave a news conference in which they confirmed the alert was over. | |
| False alarm fears | |
| The suspect was said to be wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, a grey hat with neon green brim, maroon hoodie and backpack. | The suspect was said to be wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, a grey hat with neon green brim, maroon hoodie and backpack. |
| Arsalan Heydarian, a graduate student, told BBC that he was in an engineering lab when the events happened. | Arsalan Heydarian, a graduate student, told BBC that he was in an engineering lab when the events happened. |
| "We heard sirens around the campus," he said. "We then started to get text messages via the new security system, telling students to stay where they are and stay away from windows." | "We heard sirens around the campus," he said. "We then started to get text messages via the new security system, telling students to stay where they are and stay away from windows." |
| Another student, Pranav Angara, said police cars surrounded his building and were going through all the dorms. | Another student, Pranav Angara, said police cars surrounded his building and were going through all the dorms. |
| "We've had false alarms like this and I thought it might be another false alarm," he said | "We've had false alarms like this and I thought it might be another false alarm," he said |
| The incident came on the same day as Virginia Tech appealed against a $55,000 (£35,200) fine imposed by the US Education Department for not reacting quickly enough to the April 2007 massacre. | The incident came on the same day as Virginia Tech appealed against a $55,000 (£35,200) fine imposed by the US Education Department for not reacting quickly enough to the April 2007 massacre. |
| Mr Heydarian was a freshman at Virginia Tech in 2007. | Mr Heydarian was a freshman at Virginia Tech in 2007. |
| "Now I'm graduating with my masters degree in a few months, and have witnessed a second round of shootings," he said. | "Now I'm graduating with my masters degree in a few months, and have witnessed a second round of shootings," he said. |
| Thirty-two people died in 2007 when a 23-year-old South Korean, Seung-Hui Cho, went on a gun rampage before turning the weapon on himself. | Thirty-two people died in 2007 when a 23-year-old South Korean, Seung-Hui Cho, went on a gun rampage before turning the weapon on himself. |
| The university, which has about 30,000 students, implemented a highly advanced security alert system after the tragedy. | The university, which has about 30,000 students, implemented a highly advanced security alert system after the tragedy. |
| It was put to the test in 2008, when an exploding nail gun cartridge was mistaken for gunfire. | It was put to the test in 2008, when an exploding nail gun cartridge was mistaken for gunfire. |
| Do you attend Virginia Tech? Did you witness the events that happened today? You can let us know what you have seen and heard by filling in the form below. | Do you attend Virginia Tech? Did you witness the events that happened today? You can let us know what you have seen and heard by filling in the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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