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New Details Released Around Tech’s Most Recent Tragedy

tina — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:54:57 +0000

Authorities are still sorting out why a Virginia Tech police officer was killed in a campus parking lot by a gunman who then apparently shot himself to death. The university on Thursday identified the officer as Deriek W. Crouse, a 39-year-old Army veteran and married father of five who joined the campus police force about six months after the 2007 shooting rampage that left 33 people dead.
Crouse was killed after pulling a driver over in a traffic stop. The gunman, who wasn’t involved in the traffic stop, walked into the parking lot and ambushed the officer. Police say ballistics tests have confirmed that the officer and a man suspected
in his slaying were shot by the same handgun. The Virginia State Police said in a news release early Friday that the tests have “officially linked the two fatal shootings.”
State police said a review of Officer Deriek Crouse’s in-car
video showed a male suspect with a handgun at the officer’s car at
the time of the shooting Thursday afternoon. Crouse had pulled over
a motorist, and police suspect that the gunman killed Crouse and
then took his own life nearby.
The press release says clothing found inside a discarded
backpack recovered by Blacksburg police seems to match that of the
male subject in the officer’s video. Police said they were awaiting
confirmation of the deceased suspect’s identity as well as autopsy
results from the medical examiner in Roanoke.
Before it became clear that the gunman in Thursday’s attack was dead, the school locked down the campus and used a high-tech alert system to warn students and faculty members to stay indoors.

RELATED STORY:
150 Attend Candlelight Vigil

About 150 students gathered silently for a candlelight vigil at Virginia Tech after a police officer was gunned down and the shooter apparently killed himself on campus.
The students showed up Thursday night on a field facing the
stone plaza memorial for the victims of the 2007 massacre. In that
bloodbath, 33 people were killed in the deadliest mass shooting in
modern U.S. history.
Though the official candlelight vigil was moved to Friday
evening, many turned out anyway to show their support. One student
came forward to invite everyone back for Friday night’s event. He
shouted, “Let’s go!” The crowd responded, “Hokies!”

Cigarette CEO Says Quitting is not Too Hard

tina — Thu, 12 May 2011 11:17:39 +0000

The head of cigarette maker Philip Morris International says tobacco is not that hard to quit. The statement was in response to a cancer nurse’s comments at its annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday. The CEO acknowledged that cigarettes are harmful and addictive but said it is not that hard to quit. He pointed to the fact that there are more former smokers in America than current smokers.

OSAMA BIN LADEN DEAD

Mari — Mon, 02 May 2011 09:32:57 +0000

WASHINGTON — Osama bin Laden, the glowering mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed thousands of Americans, was killed in an operation led by the United States, President Barack Obama said Sunday.

A small team of Americans killed bin Laden in a firefight Sunday at a compound in Pakistan, the president said in a dramatic, late-night statement at the White House.

A jubilant crowd gathered outside the White House as word spread of bin Laden’s death after a global manhunt that lasted nearly a decade.

“Justice has been done,” the president said.

Former President George W. Bush, who was in office on the day of the attacks, issued a written statement hailing bin Laden’s death as a momentous achievement. “The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done,” he said.

U.S. and Pakistani officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information, said today that bin Laden was killed in a helicopter raid on a mansion in an area north of the Pakistani capital. One of the four helicopters crashed after it apparently was hit by fire from the ground, the Pakistani official said. No word was given on casualties.

Women and children were taken into custody during the raid, the Pakistani official said.

During his speech, Obama said none of the Americans involved was harmed.

Sunday’s announcement came just months before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, orchestrated by bin Laden’s al-Qaida organization, that killed more than 3,000 people.

The attacks set off a chain of events that led the United States into wars in Afghanistan, and then Iraq, and America’s entire intelligence apparatus was overhauled to counter the threat of more terrorist attacks at home.

Al-Qaida also was blamed for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. Embassies in Africa that killed 231 people and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 American sailors in Yemen, as well as countless other plots, some successful and some foiled.

“I certainly think it does not end the difficulties that we have with al-Qaida and other extremist organizations, but it certainly sends a strong message of our resolve that here 10 years after the horrible attacks on Sept. 11, the U.S. has tracked down the perpetrator of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history,” said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County.

A senior administration official said Obama gave the final order for U.S. officials to go after bin Laden on Friday. The official added that a small team found their quarry hiding in a large home in an affluent suburb of Islamabad. The raid occurred in the early morning hours Sunday.

“The United States is not and never will be at war with Islam,” Obama said. “Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of Muslims. His demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.”

Obama said the Pakistani government had cooperated with the United States to make the operation possible.

Officials also said they believe the death puts al-Qaida on a path of decline that will be difficult to reverse.

Obama spoke with Bush and former President Bill Clinton on Sunday night to inform them of the developments.

The attacks a decade ago seemed to come out of nowhere, even though al-Qaida had previously damaged American targets overseas.

The terrorists hijacked planes, flew one of them into one of Manhattan’s Twin Towers — and, moments later, into the other one. Both buildings collapsed, trapping thousands inside and claiming the lives of firefighters and others who had rushed to help them.

A third plane slammed into the Pentagon, defacing the symbol of America’s military night. A fourth crashed in rural Pennsylvania after passengers overpowered the hijackers and forced it down — before it could hit its intended target in Washington.

Obama struck a less than boastful tone in his brief announcement, although he said the death of bin Laden was “the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al-Qaida.

“His death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al-Qaida will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain vigilant,” he added.

Moments after he spoke, American officials cautioned that the events could lead to heightened threats against the United States.

Officials said the U.S. would ensure that bin Laden’s body was handled in accordance with Islamic tradition.

Staff writer Jorge Valencia and McClatchy-Tribune contributed to this report.