campus

1:20 p.m., near Peddrew-Yates Residence Hall, Virginia Tech

In an outdoors recreation area near Peddrew-Yates Residence Hall, students cooked out, threw Frisbees, pitched baseball, played basketball, touch football and sand volleyball.

Surrounded by grey Hokie stone buildings, the sunwashed scene echoed with youthful vitality and the irrepressible dreams of college students bound for bright futures.

Submitted by Duncan Adams | The Roanoke Times

12:45 p.m., Squires Student Center, Virginia Tech


Name: Allan Lassiter

Age: 58

Hometown: Richmond

Occupation: Civil engineer

Lassiter graduated in 1972 with a degree in civil engineering from Tech. During his years at Virginia Tech in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Allan Lassiter spent many hours in Norris Hall, where Cho’s murderous spree peaked. He said he never imagined Norris Hall’s narrow windows would serve as escape routes.

Submitted by Duncan Adams | The Roanoke Times

11:20 a.m., Squires Student Center, Virginia Tech

Name: Ab Lucas
Age: 45
Hometown: Blacksburg
Occupation: Custodial Specialist, Virginia Tech

Lucas was working in dorm Ambler-Johnston last year when Seung-Hui Cho shot his first two victims. He said he and other custodial staff heard nothing and saw nothing.

Submitted by Duncan Adams | The Roanoke Times

11 a.m., BreakZone, Squires Student Center, Virginia Tech

Koren Breighner, 21, was one of about a dozen students shooting pool at the BreakZone in the Squires Student Center. Nearby, eight other students knocked down pins at the bowling alley.

Breighner, a junior majoring in biological systems engineering, said she planned to stay busy "to take my mind off what's going on."

Submitted by Duncan Adams | The Roanoke Times

10:45 a.m., Near Squires Student Center, Virginia Tech

Name: Chaz Johnson

Age: 28

Hometown: Blacksburg

Occupation: Virginia Tech employee

Chaz Johnson was on his way to work at VT last year when the shootings occurred. He believes memorials play an essential role in healing.

10:30 a.m., Drillfield, Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech President Charles Steger welcomes the community at Wednesday afternoon's commemoration ceremony.

Video by Tracy Boyer |
The Roanoke Times

10:30 a.m., Drillfield, Virginia Tech

During a commemoration this morning, the Virginia Tech community paid tribute to each of victims with a litany of details from their lives.

Video by Tracy Boyer |
The Roanoke Times

10:30 a.m., Drillfield, Virginia Tech



Tears and hugs abounded on the Drillfield at Virginia Tech as a crowd estimated at several thousand gathered to commemorate the memory of the 32 who died on April 16 a year ago.

They sought comfort in each other, the soothing music of the University Symphonic Wind Ensemble and the words of Charles Steger, the school's president.

Although a year has passed, that "unimaginable day" is still all too real, Steger said. Too many nights since have been "shattered by the barrage of our own thoughts," he added. "Indeed, all our lives were changed on that day."

10:30 a.m., Drillfield, Virginia Tech

Gov. Kaine delivered a poignant speech during the Tech commemoration, and asked the Virginia Tech community to focus on what is important in life and to provide service to others.

Video by Tracy Boyer |
The Roanoke Times

10:10 a.m.: Drillfield

Thousands of Hokie community members joined together today on the Drillfield for a midday commemoration. The University Symphonic Wind Ensemble's soothing music marked the mood of the solemn attendees.


Photos by Stephanie Klein-Davis and Kyle Green | Video by Tracy Boyer