Virginia Tech Slaughter

This is absolutely horrific.

The deadliest campus shooting in American history took place today.

In two separate shootings on the Virginia Tech campus, at least tweny have been killed.

This is how the story was being reported earlier this morning:

BLACKSBURG, Va. Apr 16, 2007 (AP) -- Shootings in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech left at least one person dead and seven or eight more wounded Monday before police arrested the suspected gunman, officials told The Associated Press.

Police confirmed they had a suspect in custody, the university said on its Web site.

On the Web site, Tech reported the shootings at opposite ends of the 2,600-acre campus at West Ambler Johnston, a co-ed residence hall that houses 895 people, and said there were "multiple victims" at Norris Hall, an engineering building.

The university said there were multiple victims. Government officials with knowledge of the case said there were seven to eight other "casualties."

Students were asked to stay in their homes away from windows. The campus was closed and classes canceled through Tuesday.

"There's just a lot of commotion. It's hard to tell exactly what's going on," said student Jason Anthony Smith, 19, who lives in the building where shooting took place.

Those numbers have been revised, as the magnitude of the shootings become heartbreakingly apparent.

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing 21 people and wounding another 21 before he was killed, police said.

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," said university president Charles Steger.

The university reported shootings at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a co-ed residence hall that houses 895 people, and continuing about two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building.

All entrances to the campus were closed and classes canceled through Tuesday.

It's incredible that the shootings took place two hours apart.

If only the shooter had been stopped after the incident in the dorm, before the Norris Hall murders.

This is absolutely terrifying.

The death toll isn't clear. AP says 21, 22 including the shooter. ABC News says 25 or 30.

There are a lot of conflicting stories as to how the shootings occurred.

First, there was the shooting at a freshman dorm at 7:15 AM, with multiple shooting vicitims. There were fatalities. FOX reported that the resident assistant was shot.

Then, hours later, the shooter went to Norris Hall, an engineering building.

FOX is reporting that the gunman was looking for his girlfriend. According to a student, he lined people up and shot them execution-style.

Whatever the facts of the matter turn out to be, it's certain that many lives have been lost this morning.

Utterly senseless.

It's almost too much to comprehend.

The families of Virginia Tech students and staff must be in a complete panic. Right now, there are parents desperately trying to contact their children.

Some won't be able to reach them.

Some will get a phone call informing them that their child is dead.

What's so jolting about the Virginia Tech slaughter is the realization that no place is safe.

I'm reminded that life is so fragile and so, so precious.