Tech police chief: ‘Horrific crime scene’
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Virginia Tech news conference - 11 a.m.
Virginia Tech news conference - 11 a.m.
Montgomery County Jail
Haiyang Zhu is the suspect in the stabbing death of a Virginia Tech graduate student.
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Va. Tech grad student killed
Virginia Tech student ID photo of Xin Yang, the woman who was killed at Tech yesterday
BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech officials said today that a 22-year-old Chinese graduate student who was just starting her studies here was decapitated last night in an attack at a campus restaurant.
The victim was identified as Xin Yang of Beijing. who arrived Jan. 8 at Tech as a graduate accounting student.
Haiyang Zhu, 25, of Ningbo, China, was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder. He is a doctoral candidate in agricultural economics who had started studies in the fall, Tech officials said.
Police Chief Wendell Flinchum told reporters at a news conference this morning that police arrived within about minute of the 7:06 p.m. 911 call.
"It was a horrific crime scene and the victim had been decapitated," Flinchum said.
The suspect was still at the scene and police found the murder weapon, Flinchum said, describing it as a kitchen knife.
There were seven witnesses to the attack at the Au Bon Pain cafe at Tech's Graduate Life Center, where Yang resided, Flinchum said.
Tech spokesman Larry Hincker said emergency contact records maintained by the university confirmed that Zhu and Yang knew each other. But they did not immediately know how long the two had been acquainted.
Yang's mother, who lives in China, was notified last night by telephone, Hincker said.
Tech officials said that Zhu did not have any previous contact with university or Blacksburg police, or the university's Threat Assessment Team or CARE Team.
Tech President Charles W. Steger acknowledged the concern over the slaying on the campus that endured the April 16, 2007, mass shootings.
"It brings back back memories of April 16 and I have no doubt that many of us feel especially distraught," Steger said.
Hincker said the university remains concerned about the welfare of the university student community, particularly the Chinese scholars there, and added there are counselors on duty to help.
In Richmond, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine issued this statement:
“My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of Xin Yang today — and with the broader Virginia Tech community. The tragic attack on campus this week has no doubt revived terrible memories for countless members of the Hokie family.
“I urge the citizens of the commonwealth to join me in sending sympathies and support to Virginia Tech in the days and weeks to come.”
--Rex Bowman
Earlier today
BLACKSBURG -- The day after a graduate student allegedly stabbed another graduate student to death, Virginia Tech resumed classes this morning, with school President Charles W. Steger posting a letter online informing students that the killing appears to be "an isolated, very personal tragedy."
"Our university community was shocked by a brutal murder Wednesday night at the Graduate Life Center," Steger wrote in the letter posted at http://www.vt.edu. "The suspect is in custody and the nature of the incident points to an isolated, very personal tragedy. Our hearts go out to the victim and her family. An act of violence like this one brings back memories of the April 16 tragedy and I have no doubt that many of us feel especially distraught.
"Once again we are challenged as a community to offer support to one another as we process this recent event. Once again we will rise to the occasion."
Steger was referring to the April 16, 2007 massacre of 32 teachers and students by senior Seung-Hui Cho.
Regarding last night's killing, campus Police Chief Wendell Flinchum said both the suspect and the victim were international students from Asia who apparently knew each other. The identity of the victim has not been released yet as officials try to reach her family. The suspect was identified late last night as Haiyang Zhu, 25, from China.
He is being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.
Flinchum said campus police received a 911 call at 7:06 p.m. Wednesday about a woman being assaulted in the Au Bon Pain cafe on the first floor of the Graduate Life Center. When an officer arrived he found Zhu and arrested him and retrieved the knife believed to be the murder weapon. The victim was already dead.
Tech is encouraging students to use the counseling services at the Cook Counseling Center on campus.
The Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown houses 115 graduate or professional students. The center was converted from a hotel and conference center. It is next to the university book store and is about a quarter-mile from Norris Hall, the primary site of the massacre nearly two years ago.
"I was here for the April 16 shootings and I think this has affected me more because of that - just like, not again. This already happened here," Jessica St. Clair, a graduate student at Virginia Tech, told WSLS in Roanoke.
"I just can't really believe this happened again."
--Rex Bowman
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Reader Reactions
Johnson,
Bottom line: Make sure outreach programs are in place for all cultures. VT Asian community needs to come together on this one and make sure any troubled students are getting the support they need, whether they feel out of place at a big school, are stressed over classes, relationships, etc. End of story.
Jephy, I’m sorry. You’re right, I may have taken you completely wrong. Apparently, I have an issue with reading comprehension. You said “perhaps there is something that the “normal” Asian community at VT (99.9 percent of them) can do to reach out to all Asians to make sure everyone is getting proper coaching, assistance, and the resources they need on campus?“ This is where my confusion comes in. When I here about whites who’s killed someone, I don’t here people suggesting that “normal” whites reach out to all whites to make sure they are getting proper coaching. Maybe I would have taken your comment differently if you wanted everyone to reach out to everyone, instead of “normal” Asians, reaching out to the rest of the Asians.
L. Johnson,
Of course, I figured I’d get a response from someone who immediately hits the bigot button. You’re taking it completely the wrong way.
I didn’t say “all Asians.“ But like all the news stories out there say right now, people are scrutinizing the Asian community at Tech a bit more than normal now. And again, 99.9999999 would never commit such a heinous crime, just like 99.99999 percent of Muslims aren’t terrorists.
Those at VT just need to make sure that all cultures - white, hispanic, asian, black, red, purple - have access to proper resources where students feel they can come forward and have a place to talk, de-stress, hang out, whatever. And for the Asian community, perhaps that time is now.
It’s a discussion for an in-person roundtable, not a comment board where comments can be misconstrued.
Hey Jephy, I won’t take your comment as racist, I consider it normal American bigotry. Reading these post is proof positive. Whites are the only people with the luxury of being treated as an individual.
Now that i think about it. Maybe those two were tired of not being treated as an individual. Maybe they were tired of being lumped together with all Asians, and snapped!
Horrific. Doesn’t matter whether you’re anti-social (April 17) or what apperas to be a social guy (yesterdays), anyone can become the killer.
And please don’t take this as a racist view, but let me throw this out there: is it a coincidence that two Asians have been the killers in two of the most horrific murders I’ve ever read about - both at Tech - and if so, perhaps there is something that the “normal” Asian community at VT (99.9 percent of them) can do to reach out to all Asians to make sure everyone is getting proper coaching, assistance, and the resources they need on campus? Perhaps the stress and competitiveness of the culture, in general, has been to blame in driving these two monsters into doing what theyve done. Stress can drive people to do some insane things. Please folks, don’t take those comments the wrong way.
That, or we’re just dealing with two people who happen to be screwed-up in the head and also of Asian decent.
Just reading some of these comments, makes me sick. Who cares about the people that play sports at VT or who is smart enough to get into VT. The point is that someone loss their life. My Thoughts and Prayers go out to her family.
Oh, I forgot, Curly… EVERYBODY on the internet went to an Ivy League school. Hey, I went to Harvard, too! I just downloaded my diploma!
I have been reading all the comments- because of a situation I knew before I think this may have been how it happened. She was new to the area- he was the one she depended on mostly. She knew- as was stated that he had a temper and was afraid of him- probably thought she was safer in public. As for the witnesses- sounds like he was not showing his rage- people who act like that can ‘in public’ smile and put on a happy face- but no one knows what he was saying to her. I doubt if anyone thought something was going on-but I do think his roommates or someone knew he was dangerous. They might have been as afraid of him also. She was probably hoping nothing would happen, but afraid it would- and I am sure she was fearful of trying to let someone know. I do not think he was sick- just mean and ‘on something’- but has to be crazy to do this in public unless she just would not meet with him in private- maybe she was tired of him and breaking up. He could not be like this without people knowing it!-of course he had to know he would get caught, but to have her head in his hand- he is the meanest or the highest person I ever heard of!-in my life! I cannot judge the witnesses- stunned, shocked- yes I thought at first they should have did more- but I was not there- Thank God! they will never forget it I’m sure. I just think it happened so fast -and without loud arguing to alert someone- that would at least have drew attention. It would have been great if people could have stopped him. He should be away from any society FOREVER! Any ‘odd’ behavior sure always be reported to the campus police -if in any way it seems dangerous, but it really is left up to the officials to do something about it- WHAT A SHAME SOMETHING SO TERRIBLE HAPPENED- her family must be devastated- she sounded nice- too bad she was with a MONSTER!
This whole thing is just gross! I read one article that said when the police got there, the murderer was holding the girl’s head in his hands. I can’t speak for those that saw this happen, but I know if I were there, I would have gone into shock mode and probably either puked or passed out. I cannot even imagine looking at someone with some body’s blood dripping head in their hands and the rest of the body presumably on the ground in a puddle of blood and guts, with the nerves still jerking the body around the floor. I am sure all of the people that witnessed this site will require extensive therapy. I am sorry for being so graphic, I do not mean to disrespect any one, but at first I thought the people watching should have done something until I tried to visualize the entire mess. This obviously happened very quickly and the witnesses were not likely trained to see this kind of stuff like perhaps a military person might be. This man is obviously not a civilized person, perhaps his last name should be spelled Zoo, which is where he belongs!
In regard to the players’ tutor…two
degrees - both ivy league. Athletes
don’t require tutoring. Get on back to
work on that GED. You go Hokie Nation.
Please GO (away).
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