Like Jo, I also read the IM conversation when Sugad posted it on the Something Awful forums, a social networking site. Trey also said that all he could think of was his mom. Poor kid - poor families - this is horrific.

Julie, St. Louis, MO

It doesn't really matter what orientation the gunman is, Asian or whatever, that could just spark anger towards that certain type of race. It's mental to think it happened in the first place but what really is of concern is the potential to get guns in the first place, no matter who you are. Can't they have some sort of qualification or age limit. I'm not saying guns should exist however you WILL NOT STOP THE AMERICAN culture with guns easily, they will have to be slowly phased out, for instance introduce a qualification, then age restrictions, then... something else, slowly phasing that idealogy, they need guns to protect themselves. This type of incident has happened once too many, when will they understand.

As I said the incident is awlful and tragic. My heart goes out to all the families and victims involved. I'm not religious but I hope the victims rest in peace.

chris, essex, UK

There's nothing any Government can do to stop these murders. there will always be a way of killing people even without guns. It is disgusting that some people cannot be trusted to behave responsibly with potentially lifethreatening objects.
My prayers are with the families and friends of the people involved.

Grace, Newbury, UK

I'm from the uk and asian means someone from any asian country, in fact i am sure this is same around the world!!!

Paul, Windsor, England

Aimee you're right- technically you can murder 32 people with a knife- it is a lot harder. A gun is nothing more than an easy way to kill people. When will America learn that guns are not the answer? Why is it only the rest of the world can see this? Also ethnicity is irrelevant, the point is this person was carrying guns, that most probably have been obtained legally. Quite frankly it is beyond my comprehension that guns are so lauded in the States. Sadly I feel that gun crime is on the increase in the UK too.

Sarah, Northampton, UK

Everyone in America wants to pray after an event like this. Well, here's my prayer: Dear God, give us a government which is intelligent enough to control guns in the United States.

James Montgomery, NYC, NY/USA

It seems that many people are missing the point. There is only one person to BLAME, there are many infrastructure issues to address and instead of pointing a finger we should learn from them. America has this stupid idea that guns dont kill people, people kill people, but I was almost positive that it was the gun that actually killed the people. If that kid had a knife, how much damage would he have really done? We need to stop having such a fairy tale idea of what life should be like and start realizing what its like!

Ashleigh, Tampa, FL/ USA

I know they mean Chinese or East Asian as they're are rumours going round that the shooter had a visa issued by the US office in Shanghai so we can presume that he was probably chinese. The thing is, a lot of people will blame the tech college, however, under the circumstances of shock and all other factors included, it must have been hard to make a good judgement and therefore i dont think the college are quite to blame, i think the US gun laws are more to blame then the college, after all, how many gun incidents like this happened in the US in 2006 alone?

James Leason, London, United Kingdom

In the US Asian means someone from China, Japan, Korea, etc. The term Middle Eastern is used for Indian, Pakastani, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, etc.

Also, I don't remember reading that the guy had a license to carry a weapon.

Jacob Smith, Atlanta, GA

My god, I was reading those posts from sugad as he talked to his brother over on the Something Awful forums as they happened - hearing Trey later on MSNBC was really surreal. Trey and Derek deserve a medal; they saved lives through their courage and coolheadedness.

Jo, London, UK

I am a student at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. My deepest sympathies and condolences go out to all the victims friends and families. You never think that when you go to your college..what you consider a safe haven...to be confronted with such trajedy! I can't imagine. Nothing like this ever crosses my mind when I go to class. I just go. I talk to friends and professors, I walk outside with no worries. I don't know how anyone could do such a thing. My prayers are with all of you, all the students and teachers, and all of the families as well as the community!

With Sympathy from Florida,

Lindsey , Boca Raton, USA/FL

In the US Asian means Oriental. He's probably American. He could also be Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Philipino. American's never describe people from the Middle East, India, or Pakastan as Asian.

John, Boston, Ma, USA

Who cares what ethnicity the guy was. The point here is that an American univerisity student went on the rampage - his ethnicity is totally beside the point.

Alfonso Parelli, London, UK

More guns in classroom that will help. Conservatives and the NRA are to blame for this. Dead students, dead soldiers how much conservative thinking can the USA stand before is says enough is enough.

NIck Knight, Gdynia, Poland

Rubbish - you've got one crazy gunman plus a load of freaked out 18yr old kids who haven't got a clue what's going on, watching their friends die, plus a have-a-go hero with a licensed weapon and what do you get? More mayhem. If you can't spot people likely to go homicidal... and who can... then control the tools they use. A crazed idiot with a knife can't slaughter 32 innocents. Open your eyes people.

aimee, dubai, uae

Asian? In the UK Asian means Pakistani or Indian. In the US it could mean oriental. Until they release the name (incredible how much info a name reveals!) we can assume that he is from :
Afghanistan , Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, China, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

Mladen Andrijasevic , Be'er Sheva , Israel

Asian? In the UK Asian means Pakistani or Indian. In the US it could mean oriental. Until they release the name (incredible how much info a name reveals!) we can assume that he is from :
Afghanistan , Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, China, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

Mladen Andrijasevic , Be'er Sheva , Israel

Last year the Virginia Legislature voted to deny concealed carry permit holders to carry handguns on the Virginia Tech Campus under the pretext it would make it safer. A bone to liberal faculty members who campaigned for such legislation. Virginia is one of 48 states that allow the licensing of individuals to carry concealed handguns. Just one such legally armed citizen in the dorm or one of those classrooms would have made a difference.
The VA Tech Campus police and any other juristictions that may have been called did not lock down the campus after the initial morning shooting in the dorm thus allowing the gunman the opportunity to cross the campus, unhindered , and kill and wound many, many more. Now, besides the crazed gunman, who else is to blame?

Jim, Roscoe,