Ross Ashley
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The alleged shooter responsible for the death of Virginia Tech Police officer Deriek Crouse, as well as his own, has been identified as Ross Truett Ashley, according to Virginia State Police.
Ballistics evidence testing showed that the two shootings that occurred yesterday on the Tech campus are linked, with both individuals being shot with the same weapon.
Related: Alleged shooter Ross Ashley 'never seemed different'
Ashley, 22, is from Partlow, Va. in Spotsylvania County, but he has a local residence on the 1000 Block of East Main Street in Radford, Va. and was enrolled as a part-time student at Radford University majoring in business management.
See a Google map showing the path of Ashley throughout the past three days at the end of the story.
At some point, Ashley was also enrolled at the University of Virginia's College at Wise, where he served on the SGA in 2007. He was also on the dean's list in spring 2008.
At this time, there is no connection or prior contact between Ashley and Crouse. State police are still working toward establishing a motive in the murder.
Ashley is also allegedly responsible for the hijacking of a white 2011 Mercedes SUV from a real estate office that occurred in Radford on Wednesday, Dec. 7, according to State police. The SUV was stolen at gunpoint at about 11:25 a.m. Wednesday from Gilbert Real Estate on the 600 Block of Calhoun Street.
The suspect entered the office armed with a handgun and demanded the keys to an employee's vehicle. No one was injured in the incident, however, he successfully got away with the vehicle. The SUV was found Thursday, Dec. 8, on the Smart Road at Tech.
"The car was found yesterday," said Deanna Estrada, the senior editor for university relations at Radford. "But he was on foot when the tragedy happened."
Following the hijacking, Ashley allegedly killed Crouse, and later himself, yesterday afternoon.
Estrada said it is still unknown how Ashley traveled from the Smart Road to the Cassell Coliseum parking lot.
At about 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Crouse was conducting a routine traffic stop in the Coliseum parking lot, near McComas Hall. During the stop, Ashley approached Crouse, allegedly shot him and fled on foot from the scene.
At the greenhouses, Ashley changed out of his wool cap and pullover shirt, and put them inside a backpack, which he apparently left outside the buildings. The backpack has been recovered by the Blacksburg Police Department.
After the shooting, a Montgomery County Sheriff's deputy observed a male pedestrian walking by himself in the Cage (I-Lot). However, the deputy lost sight of him. When the deputy found him, he was deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was wearing different clothing than what witnesses described, and he had no identification.
State police uncovered an in-car video from Crouse's vehicle. The video shows a male subject with a handgun at the officer's car at the time of the shooting. The clothing found inside the backpack is similar to what the subject was wearing in the video.
Ashley has no criminal record, other than being pulled over in Radford for speeding in October.
The investigation is ongoing.
This evening, Radford University released a statement on the events that have unfolded over the past three days. "The entire Radford University community sends heartfelt condolences to everyone impacted by this tragedy and offers its full cooperation with the law enforcement agencies conducting the investigations," the statement reads.
However, the university couldn't disclose further information about the suspect.
The path of Ross Truett Ashley, alleged Tech shooter
A version of this article appeared in the Dec 10 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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Now to find out if he sought counseling at Radford University, and if so, if they gave him medication.
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Let's remember than the individual had freedom of choice and made the decision to commit these actions. Whether he sought counseling or not, the individual has shown he is of sound mind due to his previous engagements in school and SGA. Radford University should not be held accountable for this person's negative decisions. Unless, he told a counselor that he was going to engage in these behaviors. God will judge him and not Radford University for this tragedy.
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There is no god
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Leave God out of this.
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God loves EVERYONE.
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He showed he was of sound mind during his previous engagements, but that has no bearing on whether he was of sound mind on Thursday. Mental illness can develop over a shorter time than many realize. I'm not saying we should assume he was insane and excuse his actions, but I am saying we have no real evidence one way or the other and his actions do not seem to be those of a person with their reason intact. Really it just makes me feel better to imagine he went crazy, just like it makes you feel better to imagine God is judging him.
Regardless, I agree wholeheartedly that there is no reason to blame Radford University. He was a student there, not a representative of their community, which honestly is a part of our community as well.
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This is a very good point --- whether or not he was given mind altering psychotric meds as these have been connected to a large percentage of these shootings (usually they have just got put on the drug or had there dosage upped) and do have side effects that can cause someone to be violent and suicidal. how many more of these before something gets done about it??? FDA is not protecting us they are protecting Big Pharma $$.
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I totally agree. It seems like most of these tragedies are committed by those poor unfortunate people who have been prescribed these mind altering drugs. My grandfather was placed on prozac & became a completely different person. He went from being a sweet easy going man to someone full of rage & his family was afraid of him. He didnt get over this until he was taken off the meds. THEN we got our sweet grandfather back. I also know another person who had a dramatic personality change when placed on these drugs. He went from someone I loved to someone I could hardly stand to be around because he was so full of anger. I've read where many of these people who killed their own children, were on these drugs. I dont know what it's going to take before the FDA does something about it. Actually, I dont think they ever will. I agree with you that it's all about them being in bed with Big Pharma. And so is our government. We are about the most overmedicated country in the world, with antidepressants being the most commonly prescribed & it's showing up in all of these senseless killings. Such a shame but I dont see it getting any better. Just recently Dr. Oz recommended SAMe for depression. It's a natural alternative and can work even better than the dangerous drugs Big Pharma wants our Doctors giving us. There are other healthy alternatives too. You can google it.
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Crazy. Loss of 2 lives over what?
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Makes no sense at all.
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"At the greenhouses, Ashley changed out of his wool cap and pullover shirt, and put them inside a backpack, which he [hid] (I presume that's what supposed to be there) outside the buildings. The backpack has been recovered by the Blacksburg Police Department. "
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I presume that's what [is] supposed to be there.
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"That's" is a contraction for "that is." There is no need to include a second is. Correcting grammar is not trolling, and I suspect that the author of the article appreciates someone pointing out the error so that it can be corrected.
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Responding to "Incorrect" here: The statement "That is what supposed to be there" is not grammatically correct, just as it would be incorrect to write, "They were who going somewhere."
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Seriously... You are debating grammar as the most important topic? Discuss elsewhere.
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Truly, stop mucking up the thread. Most of us can infer the author's meaning without interpretation from the grammar police.
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"At the greenhouses, Ashley changed out of his wool cap and pullover shirt, and put them inside a backpack, which he [left, hid] (a word is missing here) outside the buildings. The backpack has been recovered by the Blacksburg Police Department. "
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"At the greenhouses, Ashley changed out of his wool cap and pullover shirt, and put them inside a backpack, which he [left, hid] (a word is missing here) outside the buildings. The backpack has been recovered by the Blacksburg Police Department. "
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This makes no sense at all. Why did Ashley have to kill the officer??? Why was he on the Tech campus? A innocent person is dead and a family without their son, husband and father, all because of what reason??? We will never know that answer. I hate when a killer turns a gun on himself. No answers to anything now.
If a person wants to kill themselves, that's sad enough. But, taking another life??!
My condolences to the officers family, friends and fellow officers.
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The smart road is approximately 3 miles away. He could have easily walked it in an hour (and the BT runs from the CRC to campus).
It sounds like he was mentally affected by the tragedy in 2007 - going from SGA member at a UVA feeder branch to changing schools and going part time. Maybe he felt a need to be a part of what happened in 2007. Stealing the car doesn't make sense unless he didn't already have a mode of transportation. The verdict is out on why he chose to shoot a police officier, but that appears to be premeditated. Suicide appears to have been a last resort; as he brought a change of clothes to change appearance.
Regardless of any hypothesis we as a student body need to focus on grieving and supporting each other, then recovering, then becoming the high end school spirited VT that we should be known for.
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Come, on, man, don't e a hypocrite. You spend 2 paragraphs speculating wildly, then say "regardless blah blah school spirit".
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"It sounds like he was mentally affected by the tragedy in 2007"
Why does it sound like that?! He never lived in Blacksburg or went (or had any direct connection) to Virginia Tech.
More likely, it sounds like a stupid kid got in over his head. He stole a car and was trying to hide out in a nearby town that happened to be a college full of other guys who look like him. A cop car's lights went off and the kid freaked out, perhaps thinking they found him. As a fight-or-flight reaction, he pulled a gun on the officer and then bolted. When he had no access to an escape vehicle and saw another officer approaching him, he panicked and shot himself.
Again, NOTHING leads us to believe it had anything to do with 4/16. It just happened to be a violent crime in a small town that doesn't see many violent crimes.
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WTH did he want? I can't make sense out of thsi at all....UGH!
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This is not an isolated incident. Too many guns, too easy access. Repeal the right to keep & bear arms, make it a privilege. Amendment & legislation at http://www.mjbarkl.com/run.htm . Best wishes, --Mike
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Too few guns, too many restrictions. If you don't choose to own a gun, so be it. Don't restrict my rights.
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If someone wants a gun they will find it, regardless of any law changes. Focus on the deeper question of motive.
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His name was Ross and he has a family and friends as well so be respectful.
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Thank you, just because idiots like this are around doesn't mean I cant have weapons. Hell its more of a reason to have one..
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You're an idiot, and let's not make a political battle out of this *quite* yet... give the family of Officer Crouse (and the community in general) time to grieve.
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Eric, obviously Russ didnt see the Gun-Free Zone signs posted on campus.
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Mike, you're a naive idiot... and ideal the target for some lowlife...
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You have absolutely no clue, do you? More than half of U.S. households report to owning at least one gun. The United States is a saturated market -- nullifying the 2nd Amendment would only create an even larger black market for weapons. But in your proposed future, that black market would be fueled by otherwise law abiding citizens seeking to protect themselves against a better-armed criminal element. The right to bear arms is an *individually* held right, and while it can't prevent violence and criminal action, we can certainly *address* it on the individual level in an actionable and meaningful way. I am shocked that someone like you would seek election into congress.
In summary, you are an idiot. But then, perhaps congress *is* the right place for someone like you... just please, for the sake of all law-abiding citizens, leave your bright ideas at the door.
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Michael Barkley, you really don't have a clue, do you?
More than half of all U.S. households report owning at least one gun. The United States gun market is saturated, with enough firearms for nearly one per every of-age and eligible citizen; abolishing the 2nd Amendment would only create a larger black market for firearms than what currently exists for criminals. However, in your proposed future, this black market would be fueled by otherwise law abiding citizens, seeking only to protect themselves against a better-armed criminal element.
The 2nd Amendment is an *individually* held right. Responsible individual firearms ownership and carry practice can never hope to prevent all violent crime, but neither can any of the proposed "legislation" on your website. I'm shocked that someone seeking election to congress would be so blind to basic logic and reason. License-to-carry laws have upheld the right of individuals to protect themselves against violence with proportionate response, and have been statistically shown to *reduce* violent crime and promote individual responsibility in licensed persons.
In summary, you sir appear to act purely on political motivation without any regard for individual human rights. But then, maybe congress is the right place for you after all... just please, for the sake of law-abiding citizens everywhere, leave your bright ideas at the door.
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Dear Mr. Barkley,
Regardless of one's position on gun control, it is in poor taste to spam a college's newspaper with your campaign website and rhetoric by politicizing a tragedy. Please show more respect the the Crouse family, Virginia Tech, and the Blacksburg community than to try to benefit off our mourning.
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Did you seriously just propose the idea of repealing amendments from the Bill of Rights when someone uses their free will to abuse a right?
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Mr. Barkley, I will send money to whomever you're running against, and encourage my friends both inside and outside of your district to do the same.
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Virginia Tech is such a positive place. It is full of light, peace, and truly a lovely place. It is not such a stretch that Satan, or a dark force would want to try to destroy such a place of love and beauty. There is sense to it. When tragedy strikes the young, the meek, the loyal, the good....it's because darkness fears the light....evil fears the good...VT WILL PREVAIL. VT WILL REMAIN STRONG! Let us pray for the families of both victims. Let us remain a HOKIE NATION...Strong and enduring through good and bad. Let us Prevail! HOKIES!
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Satan isn't real and praying is not going to help the family or community. Try donating toward the funeral costs, there is a fund currently set up for USEFUL actions. Preach elsewhere, please.
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Ignorance is bliss... while it lasts.
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It amazes me that in this day and age people still believe this nonsense. Childhood indoctrination is both amazing and terrifying.
I wonder what things I believe without a shred of doubt that are completely wrong. There's probably at least one.
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I don't understand why people get so angry when someone mentions religion. So what if they do? You obviously have issues to care so much about something you don't believe. Keep praying.
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I couldn't agree more, and thank you for posting this...
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There is something else going on here. I don't know what, but all this seems way to easy and crazy to actually make sense. I really want to know how this will all turn out. It's still very sad though.
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Agreed. I feel like we aren't being told something. If he was on foot and an officer was behind him at the cage, where was that officer while he was changing clothes at the greenhouses?
He was also wearing a neon baseball cap in the description they kept giving on Thursday. But it says a wool cap was found in a backpack.
And shortly after someone was shot in the cage, someone was seen going into the reststop on 81 near Radford to change out of similar clothes to the description we were given.
It's just all so weird...
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No one was on his tail after the shooting. It just so happened that an officer, searching around the I-lot, spotted him acting suspiciously. Next, wool is a material and neon is a color. They are not mutually exclusive. Lastly, you have no idea how many 911 calls were received about individuals dressed similarly to the description put out.
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False positive sightings happen whenever there is a description of a suspect's appearance.
They said it was a guy in a hoodie who's white and in his 20's. That described probably 10% of the people out and about on campus that day.
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Obviously Ross was another graduate of MKULTRA.
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Sounds like "Grand Theft Auto".
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Makes you wonder if the student that shot the officer may have know his son (office was 39, could be possible to have a son 19-21). Could have been a family conflict, friend scobble, Officer son/daugter versus young gunman)! Will we ever know that, I doubt it. To weird singling out a particular officer. Just strange.
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Sounds unlikely. The officer's oldest kid was 18 and I believe they lived in Christiansburg.
The shooter stole a car the previous day and was on the run. Try putting yourself in that mindset. Then, the conspiracy theories, elaborate schemes, and links to 4/16 seem less and less coherent.
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When is Ross's Viewing and funeral?
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There is a possibility that with the sensationalism and fame of the April attack, this young man wanted the same. What better place to gain that fame than VT, planned another massacre and once he killed realized he did not have the stomach for it and couldn't live with himself. Whatever the reason this is a tragic event for everyone.
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God damnit Ross! What the hell happened between Chancellor and this? You were so god damn funny back in the day man, even though you got in trouble a few times. My mom asked if I remembered Ross Ashley when I talked to her this morning, and she told me this news. Damn I hadn't seen this guy in years but I just can't believe it, it's hard to fathom, a guy I grew up with, who graduated high school the same year, etc could do something like this. Things seemed so perfect in elementary school, I never would have believed this guy was part of it. Damn Ross, what the...?
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This young man was in the prime age group for the onset of schizophrenia. If so, we will find no motive, no reason for his actions. He graduated from RU, and was enrolled part-time, apparently in a grad program. Schizophrenics, especially in the early stages, can be functional in many ways, until a full blown psychotic episode occurs. This is an opinion only on what may have been going on with him. We may never know. It is a deceptive disease.
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Schizophrenics usually dont kill people...
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No, most schizophrenics don't. But a few do. There is a wide spectrum of schizophrenic disorders. They all cause chaos of one type or another. You are correct, though, most are non-violent, or at least not to this extent.
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Ross was a part-time student at RU. Part-time students don't demonstrate the same enrollment behaviors as full-time students. --They stop in and out of classes more frequently due to life's demands and are more likely to drop a class that doesn't immediately get off to a good start. Also, they don't generally have the same degree of on-campus friends and connections to campus professionals who might notice (and report) a sudden change in behavior. RU has a pretty sophisticated reporting, detection, and response system for behaviorally at-risk students that can be activated by any faculty/staff/professional that sees questionable student behavior. Entries in the system are professionally evaluated and referrals are made to appropriate counselors, legal, etc. VT has a similar system. I'll be highly surprised if RU neglected this guy's mental health. More likely they didn't observe anything unusual that would trigger a response. --Yes, I work at another area university that aspires to have a system in place like those at VT and RU; --those schools both went above-and-beyond in preparedness exercises ever since the horrible massacre at VT. We have been to awareness and training exercises hosted by both institutions that are sought after by Universities all across the country. Between VT and RU I do feel confident that they will unravel some of the mysteries surrounding this student and will openly share any lessons learned with the broader academic community.
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My fear is that they DID notice Ross and DID give him counseling. Why? Because then there is a good chance they got him on anti-depressants or some other mind-altering pills. EVERY kid that shoots up a school is on anti-depressants or anti-psychotics. It would not surprise me in the least if it turns out that Ross on was prescription meds for depression. Prescript meds are not only dangerous to those who take it, but those around them too.
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This might have been just a random crime and seeing the cop angered him for some reason and he killed himself after realizing what he had done.
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Maybe seeing the cop angered him in some way and he didn't think about it until after which is why he shot himself.
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Ross and I were good friends a few years ago. We attended UVA wise together before he transferred to Randford. I just want to say this information is shocking and very saddening. My prayers go out to all affected by this. That being said, Ross wasn't cold blooded, his actions in his last days of life weren't who he was. I'm very confused by his actions and wish he had of gotten the help he needed.
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VA Tech is the location of research on a triple re-uptake inhibitor antidepressant by Astra Zeneca and VA Tech by two researchers going on since 1996. According to an article in 2009, human clinical trials were to be undertaken in about two years from when the article was written which means about now. Wonder if he was a trial participant and that's why Radford and the authorities have no comment on his mental status. It sounds like he just went crazy this week.
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VA Tech is the research site for a new triple re-uptake inhibitor antidepressant since 1996 by two researchers for Astra Zeneca. According to an article, human clinical trials would take place about two years from Feb. 2009, now. Maybe he was a trial participant and that's why the authorities and the schools are clamming up about his mental status. Sounds like he just went freshly crazy only in a couple of days.
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(part 1 of 3) This story leaves a lot to the imagination (speculation), primarily because not enough facts are known or they are being hidden. I don't believe anyone has the right to convict Ashley of this crime as most of what has been offered is circumstantial. Unanswered questions abound.
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(part 3 of 3) There appears to be no motivation for this tragedy. Did Ashley have a reason to be on campus at that time? Has anyone interviewed Ashley's family to see if they are as shocked as the rest of us? Is there a coverup? Did the police actually find the real killer? Was Ashley another victim of this crime and perhaps used by the killer as part of his escape plan? After several hours of lock-down, the press conference appeared to be full of holes and non-information. With communication at everyone's fingertips, given today's technology, why weren't the panel members overflowing with information when asked questions about the unfolding horror? It is great to see such a quick response from the authorities, however, to conduct a press conference with relatively no information to offer leaves one to speculate further on both sides of the aisle. Hopefully the truth will finally be known and provided to all those that want to hear it. And, hopefully, if Ashley is found to be innocent and a victim of this crime, it will be publicized with as much fervor as was used to condemn him.
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(part 3 of 3) There appears to be no motivation for this tragedy. Did Ashley have a reason to be on campus at that time? Has anyone interviewed Ashley's family to see if they are as shocked as the rest of us? Is there a coverup? Did the police actually find the real killer? Was Ashley another victim of this crime and perhaps used by the killer as part of his escape plan? After several hours of lock-down, the press conference appeared to be full of holes and non-information. With communication at everyone's fingertips, given today's technology, why weren't the panel members overflowing with information when asked questions about the unfolding horror? It is great to see such a quick response from the authorities, however, to conduct a press conference with relatively no information to offer leaves one to speculate further on both sides of the aisle. Hopefully the truth will finally be known and provided to all those that want to hear it. And, hopefully, if Ashley is found to be innocent and a victim of this crime, it will be publicized with as much fervor as was used to condemn him.
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(part 2 of 3) Is it positively known that Ashley stole the car? Were his fingerprints found? Was there a camera at the location of the theft? Were the keys to the car found on him when he was found? If he stole the car, why was it left so far from the crime scene? When the officer was shot, was the driver of the car he pulled over blind? Could the driver make a positive ID? Did anyone in the vicinity have a cell phone with a camera? Did anyone try to follow the killer as he ran from the scene? Where did the gun come from? Was it registered and if so, to whom? When the other officer saw a suspicious person in the distance and stopped to investigate but by the time he got to the scene, Ashely was dead; did the officer hear a gunshot? What was the time of death of Ashley? Where on this body was the fatal shot to show it was self-inflicted? Why would Ashley run off, supposedly with a change of clothes on him (at all times?)? Was the backpack of clothing seen on the video from the police car? Did Ashley expect to change his clothes in the car he supposedly stole? Was that his getaway car? If so, why didn't he try to get away?
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(part 2 of 3) Is it positively known that Ashley stole the car? Were his fingerprints found? Was there a camera at the location of the theft? Were the keys to the car found on him when he was found? If he stole the car, why was it left so far from the crime scene? When the officer was shot, was the driver of the car he pulled over blind? Could the driver make a positive ID? Did anyone in the vicinity have a cell phone with a camera? Did anyone try to follow the killer as he ran from the scene? Where did the gun come from? Was it registered and if so, to whom? When the other officer saw a suspicious person in the distance and stopped to investigate but by the time he got to the scene, Ashely was dead; did the officer hear a gunshot? What was the time of death of Ashley? Where on this body was the fatal shot to show it was self-inflicted? Why would Ashley run off, supposedly with a change of clothes on him (at all times?)? Was the backpack of clothing seen on the video from the police car? Did Ashley expect to change his clothes in the car he supposedly stole? Was that his getaway car? If so, why didn't he try to get away?
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(part 2 of 3) Is it positively known that Ashley stole the car? Were his fingerprints found? Was there a camera at the location of the theft? Were the keys to the car found on him when he was found? If he stole the car, why was it left so far from the crime scene? When the officer was shot, was the driver of the car he pulled over blind? Could the driver make a positive ID? Did anyone in the vicinity have a cell phone with a camera? Did anyone try to follow the killer as he ran from the scene? Where did the gun come from? Was it registered and if so, to whom? When the other officer saw a suspicious person in the distance and stopped to investigate but by the time he got to the scene, Ashely was dead; did the officer hear a gunshot? What was the time of death of Ashley? Where on this body was the fatal shot to show it was self-inflicted? Why would Ashley run off, supposedly with a change of clothes on him (at all times?)? Was the backpack of clothing seen on the video from the police car? Did Ashley expect to change his clothes in the car he supposedly stole? Was that his getaway car? If so, why didn't he try to get away?
apologize for mult posts - didn't appear to post correctly
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Yes he was identified and he stole a car drove to Blacksburg. Where he walked from the Smart Road apparently he ran out of gas on his way to Virginia Tech. He had been on the same shooting range as Cho. He took a change of clothes and he intended on getting away. He changed clothes and ended up in the cage which was enclosed by a fence. There are only 2 ways out I believe. A deputy passed him and turned around thinking that he look suspicious. He shot himself. His finger prints on the gun. One of his room mates stated that he would run up and down the halls at night. He also stated that when he had to take his clothes out of the dryer to dry his own, that he folded them out of FEAR!!! The signs were there. It is the responsibility of any family or friends who sees these signs to be aware and if they knew he had a gun they should have done something, anything. But that's just me!!!!!
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Intersting that nothing has been mentioned so far about where the waepon came from. Rumors abound. Let's hear the truth now.
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Intersting that nothing has been mentioned so far about where the waepon came from. Rumors abound. Let's hear the truth now.
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