Seung-Hui Cho

This article is about the murderer. For the South Korean singer and actress, see Cho Seung-hee.
In this Korean name, the family name is Cho.

Seung-Hui Cho
Born
Cho Seung-hui

(1984-01-18)January 18, 1984
Asan, South Korea
DiedApril 16, 2007(2007-04-16) (aged 23)
Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.
Cause of deathSuicide by gunshot
Alma materVirginia Tech
MotiveInconclusive, possibly misanthropy or retaliation for bullying
Details
DateApril 16, 2007; 17 years ago (2007-04-16)
7:15 a.m., 9:40 – 9:51 a.m.
Location(s)Virginia Tech campus
Target(s)Students, teachers and other workers
Killed33 (including himself)[1][2]
Injured23 (17 from gunfire)
WeaponsWalther P22
Glock 19
Seung-Hui Cho
Hangul
조승희
Hanja
Revised RomanizationJo Seunghui
McCune–ReischauerCho Sŭnghŭi
/ˌtʃoʊ sʌŋhiː/
Korean pronunciation: [tɕo sɯŋhi] ⓘ
Part of a series of articles
on the
Virginia Tech
shooting
A photo of one of the commemorative stones at the memorial with flowers laid on top of it.
Location
Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, Virginia)
Perpetrator
Seung-Hui Cho
Victims
Related

Seung-Hui Cho (Korean: 조승희, Korean name ordering Cho Seung-hui;[a] January 18, 1984 – April 16, 2007) was a South Korean mass murderer responsible for the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007. Cho killed 32 people and wounded 17 others with two semi-automatic pistols on April 16, 2007, at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. This killing is the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history,[4] and was at the time the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.[5][6][b][10][9] A senior-level undergraduate student (creative writing)[11] at the university, Cho died by suicide after police breached the doors of Virginia Tech's Norris Hall which Cho had locked with heavy chains, where most of the shooting had taken place.[12][11][10]

Born in South Korea, Cho was eight years old when he immigrated to the United States with his family. He became a U.S. permanent resident as a South Korean national.[13][14][15] At the time of the shooting, Cho had the legal status of resident alien.[11][16] In middle school, he was diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder with selective mutism, as well as major depressive disorder.[17] After his diagnosis, he began receiving treatment and continued to receive therapy and special education support until his junior year of high school. Cho was bullied throughout high school. During Cho's last two years at Virginia Tech, several instances of his abnormal behavior, as well as plays and other writings he submitted containing references to violence, caused concern among teachers and classmates.

In the aftermath of the shootings, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine convened a panel consisting of various officials and experts to investigate and examine the response and handling of issues related to the shootings. The panel released its final report in August 2007, devoting more than 20 pages to detailing Cho's troubled history. In the report, the panel criticized the failure of the educators and mental health professionals who came into contact with Cho during his college years to notice his deteriorating condition and help him. The panel also criticized misinterpretations of privacy laws and gaps in Virginia's mental health system and gun laws. In addition, the panel faulted Virginia Tech administrators in particular for failing to take immediate action after the first two deaths of Emily J. Hilscher and Ryan C. "Stack" Clark. Nevertheless, the report did acknowledge that Cho must still be held primarily responsible for the killing, despite his "emotional and psychological disabilities [having] undoubtedly clouded his own situation".[18]

  1. ^ Hauser, Christine; O'Connor, Anahad (April 16, 2007). "Virginia Tech Shooting Leaves 33 Dead". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 15, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference BBCfinal was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Editor's note on Cho's surname". The Washington Post. April 21, 2007. Archived from the original on April 18, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  4. ^ Keneally, Meghan (April 19, 2019). "The 11 mass deadly school shootings that happened since Columbine". ABC News. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Apuzzo2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "College was the worst place for Cho". NBC News. May 6, 2007. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "Las Vegas shooting death toll rises to 59, no apparent connection to international terror". ABC News. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "Las Vegas, Orlando, Virginia Tech shootings deadliest on long list of U.S. mass shootings". Global News. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Virginia Tech marks 10 years after shooting that killed 32". Associated Press. April 17, 2017. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Virginia Tech, Ten Years Later". Washingtonian. April 13, 2017. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Schoetz, David; Potter, Ned; Esposito, Richard; Thomas, Pierre (April 17, 2007). "Killer's Note: 'You Caused Me to Do This'". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 19, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2008.
  12. ^ Alvis-Banks, Donna; Chittum, Matt; Raboteau, Albert (May 7, 2007). "Tech shooting victims: Moving forward". Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  13. ^ Shapiro, Ari (April 18, 2007). "Cho's Behavior Troubled Those Who Knew Him". NPR. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  14. ^ Chang, Jae-Soon (April 18, 2007). "Gunman's Family Had Hard Life in Korea". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 25, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  15. ^ "Va. governor promises probe of shooting". USA Today. April 18, 2007. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  16. ^ Reid, Tim (April 17, 2007). "Outsider who unleashed his hatred on classmates". The Times. London. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  17. ^ Adams, Duncan (August 31, 2007). "The alienation and anger of Seung-hui Cho". The Roanoke Times. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference VT panel report was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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