Res. No. 822
Resolution denouncing the massacre at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University located in Blacksburg, Virginia, expressing outrage at the senseless casualties suffered by students and faculty, and offering solidarity and support to the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg communities.
By Council Member Gennaro and The Speaker (Council Member Quinn) and Council Members Comrie, Vallone Jr., Addabbo Jr., Jackson, Avella, Brewer, Felder, Fidler, Gentile, Gonzalez, Koppell, Liu, Martinez, McMahon, Mealy, Nelson, Recchia Jr., Sanders Jr., Seabrook, Sears, Stewart, Weprin, White Jr., James and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum)
Whereas, On the morning of April 16, 2007, 23-year-old Cho Seung-Hui burst into a residence hall and an academic building at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ("Virginia Tech") located in Blacksburg, Virginia and opened fire on the students and faculty of the university; and
Whereas, Seung-Hui, who was carrying two handguns, fatally shot thirty-two students and faculty members, and wounded at least twenty other individuals before taking his own life; and
Whereas, According to news reports, this was the deadliest shooting in United States history; and
Whereas, The victims who perished as a result of this horrible tragedy hailed from all over the world and excelled in their various fields of study and included several individuals from the areas surrounding New York City; and
Whereas, Caitlin Hammaren, a 19-year-old sophomore from Westtown, New York, was majoring in international studies and French and had planned to participate in a charity run to raise money for cancer research at the end of April; and
Whereas, Julia Pryde, a 23-year-old graduate student from Middletown, New Jersey was pursuing an advanced degree in biological systems engineering to help improve water quality, and had recently traveled to Ecuador and Peru to study water supply issues in developing countries; and
Whereas, 23-year-old Michael Steven Pohle, Jr., of Raritan Township, New Jersey, was an accomplished athelete and scholar who was two weeks away from graduating; and
Whereas, Matthew La Porte of Dumont, New Jersey, was a member of the National Honor Society and was attending Virginia Tech on a ROTC scholarship with aspirations to join the Air Force after graduation; and
Whereas, 27-year-old Jeremy Herbstritt, from Spring Township, Pennsylvania, was an accomplished marathon runner and had hoped to begin a career in environmental work; and
Whereas, Many students and faculty members exhibited tremendous strength and courage in order to defend the lives of their friends and colleagues; and
Whereas, Professor Liviu Librescu, a 75-year-old Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Israel from Romania before moving to the United States in 1984, valiantly stood in front of the entrance to his classroom to shield his students from Seung-Hui's gunfire, and directed them to escape to safety; and
Whereas, Senior Zach Petkewicz barricaded a classroom door with a table in a heroic effort to protect the lives of fellow students; and
Whereas, A 32-year-old graduate student, Waleed Shaalan, lay seriously wounded beside a fellow student who pretended to be dead and made a movement to distract Seung-Hui from assassinating his colleague, at which point Shaalan was fatally shot a second time; and
Whereas, Though this tragedy and similar shooting rampages cast a pall over America, as well as throughout the rest of the world, the strength and unity of American citizens and our international allies are unwavering in the face of such catastrophes; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York denounces the massacre at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University located in Blacksburg, Virginia, expresses outrage at the senseless casualties suffered by students and faculty, and offers solidarity and support to the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg communities.