The VT tragedy has been all over the news for the past day and a half, and I haven’t really had it in me to sit down and write very much about it. We all know what happened, what can I add? Today, though, the killer was identified.

Virginia Tech police today identified the shooter who took 32 lives as well as his own Monday as student Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old South Korean national and resident alien.

The body of the senior English student was found in one of four classrooms in Norris Hall where he took most of his victims, said Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell R. Flinchum.

When the story came out that the killer was “Asian-looking,” my first concern was that it would turn out that he’s Arab. It’s strange, though, how our reaction to things changes on something like that. If he was Iranian? Pandemonium and the War on Terror would have gotten a giant kick in the ass. South Korean? Well that seems fairly incidental.

I must admit, this was fairly encouraging:

The White House declined to discuss calls for tighter gun control. “Today is a time to focus on the families, the school and the community,” she said. “The facts of the case need to unfold.”

Damn right. This issue has nothing to do with gun control. Even with strict regulations and background checks, people will get guns and people will get killed. Remember, every killer has their first victim. Up until then his record might be spotless, and a background check will be clear. I don’t want to see this turn into a gun debate any more than the O’Reilly vs. Geraldo debate should have been about illegal immigration.

A press conference held on campus this morning also left many questions unanswered in the worst gun rampage in U.S. history: What was Cho’s motive? Why did school officials not notify the student body of the early two killings before the disaster in Norris Hall? Did Cho have any help in preparing for his rampage?

I’d like those questions as well. A man doesn’t go on a spree like that for no reason. Rob a bank or mug one person, maybe. This was obviously planned, though, and I think we need to figure out what happened. The fact that the campus stayed open and police weren’t combing the area? That’s inexcusable and I truly believe those people deserve a piece of the blame in this.

I’m not a praying man, but my thoughts will be with the families and friends of the victims. Here’s to hoping this doesn’t turn into a media circus that focuses more on titillation and ratings than the well-being of the people affected.