0:00 [SPEAKER_00]: This is Jessica, and you're listening to the Asian Madness podcast. 0:38 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome back to the Asian Madness podcast everyone. 0:49 [SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully you're all doing well, enjoying life, and being kind to others. 0:55 [SPEAKER_00]: Life is full of stress, so remember to take care of yourselves. 1:00 [SPEAKER_00]: But anyway, let's see what today's episode is about. 1:04 [SPEAKER_00]: So there's a specific type of crime that is unfortunately very American. 1:10 [SPEAKER_00]: Can you guess? 1:12 [SPEAKER_00]: While considering that the U.S. is one of the few countries around the world that allows civilians to carry and own guns, yes, it's mass shooting. 1:23 [SPEAKER_00]: More specifically, school shootings. 1:26 [SPEAKER_00]: While I myself am not against people owning guns, I am however, against people who should not be owning guns, owning guns. 1:36 [SPEAKER_00]: A handgun for personal and home protection, I get it. 1:39 [SPEAKER_00]: You like to go hunting and need hunting rifles? 1:43 [SPEAKER_00]: Sure. 1:43 [SPEAKER_00]: Make sure you have training and have a proper background check. 1:49 [SPEAKER_00]: But that line is very blurred, sometimes. 1:52 [SPEAKER_00]: People own guns for various reasons. 1:55 [SPEAKER_00]: But sometimes those guns are not used properly. 1:58 [SPEAKER_00]: We see kids accidentally getting their hands on guns and then shooting someone. 2:03 [SPEAKER_00]: Then there are teens or adults taking guns to a mall 2:10 [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know. 2:11 [SPEAKER_00]: Today we're diving into one of the most devastating mass shootings in the U.S. 2:17 [SPEAKER_00]: The Virginia Tech massacre and the perpetrator's name is Chol Sung-hee. 2:24 [SPEAKER_00]: What happens when you miss red flags, miss warning signs, and what happens when mental health counseling just isn't enough? 2:33 [SPEAKER_00]: This is a case where someone should not have had access to guns, but somehow got their hands 2:40 [SPEAKER_00]: We can debate about gun laws all day long, and regardless of where you stand, this is sadly a common occurrence, still, and as for my opinion, we probably need stricter gun laws, but hey, that's just my opinion. 2:57 [SPEAKER_00]: So let's take a look at what happened on April 16, 2007, a Monday, just after 7am. 3:05 [SPEAKER_00]: Who was Cho? 3:07 [SPEAKER_00]: And why did he decide to go on this rampage? 3:10 [SPEAKER_00]: Assuming he even had a reason. 3:13 [SPEAKER_00]: Let's begin. 3:15 [SPEAKER_00]: Cho soon he was born on January 18, 1984 in South Korea. 3:22 [SPEAKER_00]: He was the younger of two siblings, with an older sister, named Sunkyeong. 3:28 [SPEAKER_00]: He was always quiet, and somewhat described them as withdrawn. 3:32 [SPEAKER_00]: The Chow family lived in a basement apartment in Seoul for a few years, during wish time his father owned and ran his own bookstore with minimal profits. 3:43 [SPEAKER_00]: At just three years old, he had a cardiac procedure, and understandably traumatic experience. 3:51 [SPEAKER_00]: likely due to some trauma relating to the illness, Choke couldn't even stand being touched. 3:59 [SPEAKER_00]: In 1992, when he was eight years old, the Choke family immigrated to the United States. 4:05 [SPEAKER_00]: Chasing a future they believed would be better, safer for their kids. 4:10 [SPEAKER_00]: They settled first in Maryland. 4:12 [SPEAKER_00]: then in the wall off suburb of Centerville, Virginia, after learning that it had one of the largest South Caribbean communities in the U.S. And it was the quintessential immigrant story. 4:25 [SPEAKER_00]: They joined the local church. 4:27 [SPEAKER_00]: They had their own dry cleaning business, worked six days a week, and sent their kids to the bus schools. 4:33 [SPEAKER_00]: For their daughter, it all worked out as expected. 4:36 [SPEAKER_00]: She was admitted to Princeton University, which I'm sure made them very proud. 4:43 [SPEAKER_00]: But it all sounds rather stereotypical. 4:46 [SPEAKER_00]: And this is quite a common origin story for immigrant families. 4:50 [SPEAKER_00]: They work hard, they try to learn the language, they do their best to fit in, and above all, most do intend on being good civilians. 5:01 [SPEAKER_00]: But for some, like in the case of Chul, a simulation was never simple, and sometimes it just isn't that straightforward. 5:10 [SPEAKER_00]: I believe there's a learning curve coming from one distinct culture to another, aside 5:18 [SPEAKER_00]: the way you drive, the way you act, can all be so different. 5:23 [SPEAKER_00]: Cho attended the popular tree elementary school, and one family acquaintance of the shows claimed that every time he came home from school, he would cry and throw tantrums, saying he never wanted to return. 5:37 [SPEAKER_00]: which was odd to them because she was a smart kid as he finished a three-year program at the elementary school in just one and a half years and was actually referred to as a good example by teachers. 5:49 [SPEAKER_00]: Slight tangent here. 5:51 [SPEAKER_00]: Have you heard of the term model minority? 5:53 [SPEAKER_00]: This is something you hear about that's heavily tied to the Asian community here in the U.S. 5:59 [SPEAKER_00]: The term refers to 6:05 [SPEAKER_00]: and financially successful, often in contrast to other minority groups, unquote. 6:12 [SPEAKER_00]: At some point, and maybe even now to some, this was or is considered a compliment. 6:19 [SPEAKER_00]: But essentially, it's like saying, oh, you're one of the good immigrants, implying that others are bad. 6:26 [SPEAKER_00]: In other words, this can cause divide amongst the population, and also demonize others who 6:36 [SPEAKER_00]: As we know, people can come in all shapes and sizes, good and bad, kind and unkind. 6:43 [SPEAKER_00]: While I do agree that culture has some form of impact, we should not be lumping people together simply based on grace or country origin. 6:53 [SPEAKER_00]: So think about it. 6:54 [SPEAKER_00]: When an Asian person speaks out and quote unquote acts out, or, you know, just defending themselves, people tend to be more shocked. 7:03 [SPEAKER_00]: There's way more to this than that, but just a little side note. 7:08 [SPEAKER_00]: So back to Cho and his life. 7:10 [SPEAKER_00]: Despite being labeled most likely, a quote unquote model minority student, 7:14 [SPEAKER_00]: He was very unhappy. 7:17 [SPEAKER_00]: Some might have seen him as shy, or he was just awkward and quiet. 7:22 [SPEAKER_00]: Deeply introverted, barely speaking to anyone outside his family. 7:27 [SPEAKER_00]: Teachers and classmates described him as basically mute, a boy who didn't raise his hand, who didn't smile, and barely made eye contact. 7:37 [SPEAKER_00]: In middle school, he was bullied for it. 7:40 [SPEAKER_00]: picked on by other kids at school and sometimes by children from the very church that his family trusted. 7:46 [SPEAKER_00]: And though it's not great, getting bullied is way more common than we would like to admit. 7:53 [SPEAKER_00]: In like any child, Cho had his low and high points. 7:56 [SPEAKER_00]: His high points were that he was great at math, and he loved playing basketball. 8:01 [SPEAKER_00]: He had also recovered well from a surgery years ago, 8:07 [SPEAKER_00]: but he was also mentally unraveling, behind the scenes. 8:11 [SPEAKER_00]: In addition to deep withdrawal, he was also uncomfortable around people and was considered way too silent for a kid. 8:20 [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know if you have had any experience with being bullied, I was never technically bullied, but I know for a fact kids can be very mean when they come across someone who 8:37 [SPEAKER_00]: The world and society in general tends to be more accepting towards extroversion, as well, and as someone is too quiet, they stand out, they are seen as less normal. 8:50 [SPEAKER_00]: Seeing this, Cho's mother looked for outside help, which I applaud her for doing because Asian parents are not very open to counseling or therapy, especially back in the day. 9:07 [SPEAKER_00]: These places are made to help you assimilate while giving you a space that is inclusive, respectful, and supported for people, new to American culture, and the English language. 9:19 [SPEAKER_00]: They tried anti-depressants, or therapy, talk therapy, group activities. 9:25 [SPEAKER_00]: He was eventually diagnosed with severe social anxiety disorder. 9:29 [SPEAKER_00]: No loving parent will want to see their kids suffer like this, and chose parents seem to have really tried to accommodate him and help them. 9:39 [SPEAKER_00]: His parents took turns leaving work early, making sure Chor arrived at therapy and received help. 9:45 [SPEAKER_00]: During his art therapy sessions, Chor would make houses out of clay that had no windows or doors. 10:00 [SPEAKER_00]: Does he feel trapped? 10:02 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm no psychologist, so I'm just guessing. 10:06 [SPEAKER_00]: Child continued to receive help, but did it help in the long run? 10:11 [SPEAKER_00]: The short answer is no, but it's not exactly that simple. 10:15 [SPEAKER_00]: In 1999, one of the worst and most notorious math school shootings took place at Columbine, Colorado. 10:23 [SPEAKER_00]: After the Columbine High School Shooting, 10:25 [SPEAKER_00]: When two students murdered 13 people before turning the guns on themselves, Chose submitted a chilling assignment in his eighth grade English class. 10:34 [SPEAKER_00]: In it, he admitted that he wanted to repeat Columbine. 10:38 [SPEAKER_00]: And unfortunately, it wasn't meant as an edgy joke. 10:42 [SPEAKER_00]: He was promptly taken to a doctor who diagnosed him with selective muutism and majored depressive disorder. 10:50 [SPEAKER_00]: Joe was only 15. 10:51 [SPEAKER_00]: He was again given anti-depressants and adequate help and support. 10:59 [SPEAKER_00]: He re-entered high school at Westfield High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, with the attention and support of teachers, counselors, and even a personalized education plan. 11:10 [SPEAKER_00]: His grades were good, he got a 3.52 GPA, and even made it into the honors program. 11:19 [SPEAKER_00]: After high school, Cho insisted on attending Virginia Tech against the advice of his parents and counselors. 11:26 [SPEAKER_00]: They feared that a massive university with over 28,000 students would only deepen his feelings of loneliness and isolation because Cho had still not learned to make friends. 11:39 [SPEAKER_00]: But he had made up his mind. 11:41 [SPEAKER_00]: And in 2003, at age 19, he enrolled. 11:45 [SPEAKER_00]: and he was admitted. 11:48 [SPEAKER_00]: This was done without any support network, without counselors. 11:52 [SPEAKER_00]: Just him and sheer will. 11:54 [SPEAKER_00]: Strangely though, Virginia Tech had no idea of his trouble history. 11:59 [SPEAKER_00]: I would have assumed this would be something they would require, like a type of background check, medical records, or even mentioned in his transcripts. 12:09 [SPEAKER_00]: In the beginning, to everyone's relief, everything seemed alright, because his freshman year came and went without any incidents. 12:18 [SPEAKER_00]: Cho started in business information systems, but by his sophomore year, he had switched his major to English. 12:25 [SPEAKER_00]: He took advice from a professor and sent his ideas for a novel to a publishing house in the spring of 2005, but it was rejected. 12:35 [SPEAKER_00]: Writing and publishing is very difficult, unless you choose to self-publish. 12:40 [SPEAKER_00]: Many writers have faced rejection before making it big, but understandably for Chul, he felt extremely let down and depressed over his rejection. 12:51 [SPEAKER_00]: The counseling he received after middle school had temporarily melted away his depression, but there was always a baseline of anxiety and selective mutism that remained intact. 13:04 [SPEAKER_00]: In that complex and fragile mental state, Cho would have been vulnerable to anything. 13:10 [SPEAKER_00]: Any little thing could have set him off, don't him back into a funk. 13:16 [SPEAKER_00]: In autumn of 2005, Joe started showing some alarming behavior once again. 13:21 [SPEAKER_00]: He started writing dark fiction, plays and poems filled with rage, violence, and despair. 13:28 [SPEAKER_00]: Again, this and enough itself is not necessarily a red flag. 13:34 [SPEAKER_00]: There are horror, even extreme horror books and movies. 13:37 [SPEAKER_00]: Think of the terrifier franchise. 13:40 [SPEAKER_00]: Think of the hostile franchise, or something like the Texas chainsaw massacre. 13:46 [SPEAKER_00]: It's a popular genre, and not necessarily an indication that anyone who is into this genre needs psychological help. 13:54 [SPEAKER_00]: Cho started calling himself question mark on message boards, and in those classrooms, people started to notice 14:02 [SPEAKER_00]: One of the professors of Virginia Tech, Nikki Giovanni, had him removed from her class because he was frightening the other students. 14:11 [SPEAKER_00]: Sitting silently, wearing sunglasses and a hat indoors, refusing to remove them, and apparently taking photos of female students' legs during class. 14:21 [SPEAKER_00]: Very creepy, and I do not blame the professor for doing this. 14:26 [SPEAKER_00]: Not sure if this was reported to the school though for further review. 14:30 [SPEAKER_00]: Another professor, Lucinda Roy, tried a different approach. 14:34 [SPEAKER_00]: She tutored him one-on-one, she encouraged him to get counseling. 14:39 [SPEAKER_00]: Like most professors there, she saw something wrong with the boy, but she had no idea how deeply this was rooted. 14:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Who could have guessed, though? 14:49 [SPEAKER_00]: Sure, he was probably seen as weird and disturbing, but most people probably did not immediately jump to school shooter. 14:58 [SPEAKER_00]: But as behavior became even more erratic. 15:01 [SPEAKER_00]: His two roommates stated that he was a reclusive, but claimed to have an imaginary girlfriend called Jelly, who was a supermodel from outer space. 15:12 [SPEAKER_00]: Another roommate said that Cho stood in his doorway and took pictures of him. 15:17 [SPEAKER_00]: He also called him during Thanksgiving holiday to tell him he was vacationing. 15:22 [SPEAKER_00]: with Vladimir Putin in North Carolina. 15:25 [SPEAKER_00]: In 2005, he was accused of stalking two female students, one of whom watched in horror as he stabbed the carpet with a knife in her dorm room. 15:36 [SPEAKER_00]: Cho also told one of his roommates that he had once scared a girl when he followed her to her dorm to look into her eyes. 15:44 [SPEAKER_00]: And all he saw in her eyes was promiscuity. 15:48 [SPEAKER_00]: At this point, he's definitely giving some insult energy. 15:54 [SPEAKER_00]: After that, his roommates gradually stopped talking to him and told their female classmates not to visit their room. 16:01 [SPEAKER_00]: That same year, Cho left taped up Shakespeare quotes from Romeo and Juliet on the door of the girl whose carpet he was stabbing. 16:09 [SPEAKER_00]: That is when the police got involved. 16:11 [SPEAKER_00]: Cho was explicitly warned never to contact the girl again after which he texted his roommate quote, 16:22 [SPEAKER_00]: This made the roommate contact Virginia Tech Police again, who ordered an evaluation this time. 16:28 [SPEAKER_00]: In on December 13, 2005, Cho was finally taken to Caroleon St. Aldens Hospital. 16:36 [SPEAKER_00]: The next day, a judge ruled that he was a danger to himself. 16:40 [SPEAKER_00]: But instead of committing him, the court only ordered outpatient therapy of Virginia Tech's Cook Counseling Center. 16:48 [SPEAKER_00]: That might have been useful, except nobody made appointments for treatment, and nobody made sure that the court's orders were being followed. 16:57 [SPEAKER_00]: The university didn't follow up, the court never enforced treatment, and his parents were never told about any of this, and because Cho got outpatient treatment instead of being committed to a facility, his name was never added to the national background check system. 17:19 [SPEAKER_00]: So, it was back to life as usual for chill. 17:23 [SPEAKER_00]: In April of 2006, he had a hostile confrontation with his English professor. 17:28 [SPEAKER_00]: His writings were becoming more and more disturbing, more violent. 17:33 [SPEAKER_00]: One story which seemed to foreshadow an act of mass murder was handed in for class credit. 17:39 [SPEAKER_00]: Not sure if the professors even knew about his mental health condition, but if they did, I'm not sure why this wasn't taken more seriously. 17:49 [SPEAKER_00]: All the pieces were there, police records, psychiatric evaluations, restraining concerns from teachers and female students, and a pattern of escalating behavior. 18:01 [SPEAKER_00]: No one connected the dots. 18:03 [SPEAKER_00]: He just slipped through the cracks. 18:06 [SPEAKER_00]: With all that said, it all boils down to that one day, April 16th, 2007. 18:13 [SPEAKER_00]: Get ready because it's very violent and a lot happens in a short amount of time. 18:19 [SPEAKER_00]: It's just past 6.45 a.m. in Blacksburg, Virginia. 18:24 [SPEAKER_00]: The campus of Virginia Tech is stirring. 18:27 [SPEAKER_00]: Students are rolling out a bed, some head for morning class, others remain asleep. 18:34 [SPEAKER_00]: In Harper Hall, one student is already awake, and that would be true. 18:39 [SPEAKER_00]: He's been planning this for weeks, maybe even months. 18:43 [SPEAKER_00]: He's bought two handguns, practice at a shooting range, and stockpiled hundreds of rounds of ammunition. 18:50 [SPEAKER_00]: On February 9, 2007, he walked into J&D pawnshop in Blacksburg, just across the street from campus. 18:59 [SPEAKER_00]: He managed to pick up a Walther P-22 pistol he had ordered online. 19:05 [SPEAKER_00]: I know, incredible how easy it is to get guns. 19:09 [SPEAKER_00]: A month later, in March, he purchased a 9-millimeter Glock pistol to add to his already extensive collection and 50 rounds of ammunition. 19:20 [SPEAKER_00]: On March 31, he added chains, padlocks, and hunting knife. 19:25 [SPEAKER_00]: This morning, on April 16, Chose sits at his computer. 19:30 [SPEAKER_00]: He deletes all his emails. 19:32 [SPEAKER_00]: He races his university account, pulls out the hard drive and hides it. 19:39 [SPEAKER_00]: Then, he arms himself, with everything he's got, and he walks out the door. 19:44 [SPEAKER_00]: 7.15 a.m. West Ampler, Johnston Hall, home to almost 900 students. 19:52 [SPEAKER_00]: Chose neaks in either by following someone inside or stealing someone's swipe card. 19:58 [SPEAKER_00]: He walks to the fourth floor and opens a door to Emily Hilsher's room, a 19-year-old freshman who has just returned from a weekend away with her boyfriend, Carl Thornhill. 20:09 [SPEAKER_00]: He immediately shoots her. 20:11 [SPEAKER_00]: A resident assistant, Ryan Clark, hears the shots and rushes to help. 20:17 [SPEAKER_00]: Choke kills him as well. 20:18 [SPEAKER_00]: Two lives gone in under a minute. 20:22 [SPEAKER_00]: He then runs away, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints. 20:25 [SPEAKER_00]: Meanwhile, the police are called to the scene and arrive 20 minutes later and start asking questions. 20:32 [SPEAKER_00]: Apparently, Carl Thornhill owns a gun that he sometimes uses for target practice. 20:38 [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe he was the one who shot his girlfriend, maybe there had been a fight. 20:43 [SPEAKER_00]: The police chase that theory and start looking for Carl. 20:47 [SPEAKER_00]: But in the meantime, the real perpetrator calmly walks back to his dorm room, changes his clothes, and prepares for act 2 of his play. 20:56 [SPEAKER_00]: At 9-01 AM, he is at the downtown post office. 21:01 [SPEAKER_00]: While the police are busy pursuing the wrong man, Chote is mailing a package to NBC News in New York. 21:08 [SPEAKER_00]: By 9-40 AM, 21:10 [SPEAKER_00]: He's back on campus, and in Norr's hall, the engineering building. 21:14 [SPEAKER_00]: He carries a backpack filled with ammunition, chains, a knife, and two guns. 21:20 [SPEAKER_00]: A glock 19, and the Walther P22. 21:23 [SPEAKER_00]: He changed three of the main entrances shut from the inside. 21:27 [SPEAKER_00]: On one, he leaves a note warning that opening the door will trigger a bomb. 21:32 [SPEAKER_00]: But of course, there is no bomb, but nobody would know that. 21:39 [SPEAKER_00]: After gearing up in room 200, he walks the halls looking into classrooms to choose his targets. 21:45 [SPEAKER_00]: And just two minutes later, at 9.42am, he opens fire in room 206. 21:52 [SPEAKER_00]: Where a professor was teaching an advanced hydrology class. 21:56 [SPEAKER_00]: Within seconds, ten are dead, including the professor. 21:59 [SPEAKER_00]: Two others are wounded. 22:03 [SPEAKER_00]: Cho then walks out firing down the hall at fleeing students. 22:07 [SPEAKER_00]: Then he moves into room 207 and intro to German class. 22:13 [SPEAKER_00]: Professor Jamie Bishop is killed instantly, along with four other students. 22:17 [SPEAKER_00]: Six more are wounded. 22:20 [SPEAKER_00]: Across the hall in room 2-11, a French class, led by Jossilin, Kutur Noak, is mid-Lesson, when they hear the shots. 22:29 [SPEAKER_00]: She and student Henry Lee try to barricade the door, but Cho Briggson shoots them both than fires into the room, shooting 12 students, and killing 11 of them. 22:41 [SPEAKER_00]: Colin Goddard, who is calling 9-11, is shot. 22:46 [SPEAKER_00]: His phone goes into the hands of Emily Haas, who keeps the call connected. 22:51 [SPEAKER_00]: In Room 204, 76-year-old Professor, they view LeBresco, a Holocaust survivor, holds the door shut with his body while his students jump from the windows. 23:02 [SPEAKER_00]: He is shot, the the door, and is killed. 23:11 [SPEAKER_00]: He locks the students in his office, goes downstairs for help, but is fatally shot in the hallway. 23:19 [SPEAKER_00]: After all this, children returns to the rooms he has already attacked. 23:24 [SPEAKER_00]: When he enters 206, while each salon who is already injured, manages to distract him, giving others a chance to run further lies. 23:33 [SPEAKER_00]: In Room 207, students have barricaded the door. 23:37 [SPEAKER_00]: When short returns, Caitlyn Karni and Derek Odell are shot while holding it a shot. 23:43 [SPEAKER_00]: They survive, and thanks to them, everyone remaining makes it out alive as well. 23:48 [SPEAKER_00]: In Room 205, substitute Professor, Haiyan Chen, and her students have blocked the entrance with a heavy table. 23:56 [SPEAKER_00]: Chou shoots through the door seven times, but cannot get in. 24:01 [SPEAKER_00]: It's after all this, after 32 people are dead, and several are wounded that the police breach Norse Hall at 9.50 a.m. 24:11 [SPEAKER_00]: The chain doors delay the SWAT team, but they find a maintenance door and manage to blast it open. 24:17 [SPEAKER_00]: As a Russian side, Chow retreats through to 11. 24:22 [SPEAKER_00]: He walks to the center of the room, raises one of his guns to his own head, and pulls the trigger. 24:31 [SPEAKER_00]: That evening, the FBI made a visit to Joe's parents in Centerville. 24:37 [SPEAKER_00]: They had already heard of the shooting, but were completely unaware that their son was the perpetrator. 24:43 [SPEAKER_00]: At this point, they were still waiting to hear back from their son because, of course, they were worried about him. 24:50 [SPEAKER_00]: It was a difficult conversation for sure, where you not only have to inform them that their son is dead, but also that he was the cause of everything. 25:00 [SPEAKER_00]: Understandably they were in shock and were advised to pack their bags and leave for a while as they would be under heavy scrutiny by the media in the next days or weeks 25:11 [SPEAKER_00]: As for any public statements, Songkyeong, Cho-Sister, made a statement on behalf of her family. 25:17 [SPEAKER_00]: It starts with, quote, on behalf of our family, we are so deeply sorry for the devastation my brother has caused. 25:26 [SPEAKER_00]: No words can express or sadness that 32 innocent people lost their lives this week in such a terrible, senseless tragedy. 25:34 [SPEAKER_00]: We are heartbroken, unquote. 25:37 [SPEAKER_00]: And I believe her, because in a way, aren't they also victims to this crime? 25:43 [SPEAKER_00]: Her full statement is linked in my show notes. 25:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Our original days after the massacre, the community began placing memorials all around the school. 25:54 [SPEAKER_00]: A permanent memorial was eventually placed in the school, shaped as a semi-circle, made up of 32 engraved stones, one for each of the victims. 26:06 [SPEAKER_00]: in honor and remembrance of those who were senselessly killed that day. 26:11 [SPEAKER_00]: Many of the families of those who were murdered that day have also been very vocal about accountability, transparency, and most importantly gun control. 26:21 [SPEAKER_00]: This is a very common sentiment every single time after a mass shooting takes place. 26:26 [SPEAKER_00]: And most times, the perpetrator has had issues either with the law or some medical record that was never disclosed. 26:34 [SPEAKER_00]: This was something that the surviving family brought up as well, as it was later revealed that Charles Medical History was found in the home of the former director of Cook Counseling Center, Dr. Robert C. Miller. 26:49 [SPEAKER_00]: Apparently he had denied that he still had these records. 26:53 [SPEAKER_00]: In a statement issued by the Virginia Tech Families, quote, we cannot comprehend that Dr. Miller, knowing the intensity of the search for these records, did not recall taking these files home with him in 2006 when he left the Cook Counseling Center. 27:09 [SPEAKER_00]: If Dr. Miller inadvertently removed the files as he claims, 27:13 [SPEAKER_00]: We find it telling that it took legal action to force him to produce the records. 27:19 [SPEAKER_00]: We also wonder if state police questioned him in April 2007, or only Virginia Tech officials. 27:27 [SPEAKER_00]: As announced by the governor, 27:28 [SPEAKER_00]: The state police are investigating how and when someone presumably Miller removed the records from Cook Counseling Center. 27:36 [SPEAKER_00]: In October of 2008, during the first and only formal police briefing we received, we requested that the police again look into the case of the missing files. 27:47 [SPEAKER_00]: The state police still have not told us what action they took on our request, unquote. 27:57 [SPEAKER_00]: Dr. Miller, though, said that he was not aware that he had kept these files in his home. 28:02 [SPEAKER_00]: Two days after the massacre on April 18, the nation watched in shock as NBC News aired 28:12 [SPEAKER_00]: Remember he went to the post office to mail a package? 28:15 [SPEAKER_00]: This was it. 28:17 [SPEAKER_00]: He was dressed in a black vest, his face was blank, and his eyes were hollow. 28:22 [SPEAKER_00]: He was posing with pistols in both hands and ranted about rich brats, about the Boschery, and Christian hypocrisy. 28:30 [SPEAKER_00]: He blamed everyone, but himself. 28:33 [SPEAKER_00]: He praised Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the column by shooters, and warned the viewers, 28:40 [SPEAKER_00]: Now you have blood on your hands that will never wash off, unquote. 28:46 [SPEAKER_00]: It was heinous and very performative for a quiet, withdrawn student. 28:52 [SPEAKER_00]: But then it begs the question, not just how this happened, but why, and how did it even get to this point. 29:00 [SPEAKER_00]: By Weeksend, 29:01 [SPEAKER_00]: Virginia Governor Tim Kane appointed a review panel led by former State Police Superintendent, Massengue. 29:09 [SPEAKER_00]: Their job was to dissect the failures in the system, in the response, and, most importantly, in chose long overlooked warning signs. 29:19 [SPEAKER_00]: Turns out, the writing on the wall was there, and it was a tragedy long in the making. 29:25 [SPEAKER_00]: The review panel's findings released on August 29, 2007. 29:28 [SPEAKER_00]: And it was damning. 29:32 [SPEAKER_00]: Basically, Virginia Tech waited too long to warn students. 29:36 [SPEAKER_00]: The police wasted time chasing a false domestic violence lead. 29:41 [SPEAKER_00]: Mental health records were scattered all over the place and complete and even missing. 29:53 [SPEAKER_00]: I have to say though, I do understand why the police chose to look into Carl Thornhill. 29:59 [SPEAKER_00]: It's not really a jump to suspect the spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, but in this case, it did cause delays on what was happening on a way bigger scale. 30:10 [SPEAKER_00]: Honestly, who would have thought? 30:13 [SPEAKER_00]: Cho's parents never knew a single thing about what was happening at Virginia Tech or how deeply disturbed their son had become. 30:20 [SPEAKER_00]: He had been diagnosed, he was awarded into treatment, and yet he still bought guns. 30:27 [SPEAKER_00]: Because outpatient care doesn't trigger gun sale background checks, but being admitted to a facility does, which as we already know never happened. 30:37 [SPEAKER_00]: So on April 30th, Governor Cain signed an executive order to close that loophole. 30:43 [SPEAKER_00]: It was too late for 32 people, but it was at least something that could help others in the future. 30:49 [SPEAKER_00]: The states general assembly followed with $42 million in funding for mental health reform, 30:55 [SPEAKER_00]: which, by the way, was reduced after the recession, because apparently America has short-term memory and mental health care is negotiable. 31:07 [SPEAKER_00]: When the shooter's identity was revealed as being South Korean, a ripple of shock and shame swept across the country. 31:15 [SPEAKER_00]: He may have left the country at age eight and been a U.S. permanent resident, but by 31:24 [SPEAKER_00]: The South Korean President issued a heartfelt apology and inside Korean American churches across the states leaders called for a 32-day fast, one day for each murder victim, as an active collective repentance. 31:40 [SPEAKER_00]: It's a nice gesture for sure, and logic dictates that this has nothing to do with the South Korean nation as a whole, or even other Korean Americans, but not everyone agreed with his gesture. 31:53 [SPEAKER_00]: As some decided to make ethnicity, the story, instead of putting the focus on mental illness, cultural silence, or broken systems. 32:04 [SPEAKER_00]: Of course, it doesn't really make sense to blame an entire country on one of the few people who disrupt the peace, or cause mass casualties. 32:13 [SPEAKER_00]: It just stood out more in comparison, as Asian Americans are not labeled as disruptive, dangerous, or confrontational. 32:24 [SPEAKER_00]: Still, the fear of xenophobic backlash lingered. 32:28 [SPEAKER_00]: Korea's foreign minister even announced safety measures for Koreans in the U.S. 32:32 [SPEAKER_00]: Though thankfully, no reprisals ever came. 32:35 [SPEAKER_00]: The massacre at Virginia Tech began way before the first gunshot. 32:42 [SPEAKER_00]: This was a boy who rarely ever spoke. 32:45 [SPEAKER_00]: Nothing wrong with being quiet, but his lack of communication and perhaps even lack of resources for help, his parents were left in the dark, his school never connected the dots, and the courts never followed up. 33:01 [SPEAKER_00]: This is why mental health facilities are not enough. 33:04 [SPEAKER_00]: They should also be approached with kindness, patience, and understanding. 33:15 [SPEAKER_00]: and society, but how would you know when a case is an extreme case? 33:20 [SPEAKER_00]: This I would leave up to the professionals because I am not one of them. 33:27 [SPEAKER_00]: For many Asian families, especially immigrant families, mental health isn't even a conversation. 33:33 [SPEAKER_00]: It's considered a weakness, or just all in your head, you're just in a bad mood. 33:43 [SPEAKER_00]: Most immigrants arrived in the US with high hopes, with their heads down, willing to put in the work, willing to assimilate. 33:51 [SPEAKER_00]: Staying quiet seems like you're doing a good job being a good member of society, but sometimes it can also hide darker thoughts. 34:02 [SPEAKER_00]: I have listed an NPR article in my show notes detailing the names and bio of those who were murdered by Chow that day. 34:09 [SPEAKER_00]: It is very extensive, unfortunately. 34:13 [SPEAKER_00]: So there you have it. 34:14 [SPEAKER_00]: The case of a young man who struggled deeply with his mental health for years. 34:19 [SPEAKER_00]: Despite receiving help from time to time, no one was able to foresee the intensity of his emotions till it was way too late. 34:27 [SPEAKER_00]: Let's not forget, although 32 people died, many others were injured. 34:33 [SPEAKER_00]: Those are also victims. 34:42 [SPEAKER_00]: but people decided to sweep it under the rug. 34:45 [SPEAKER_00]: Or perhaps no one thought it would get to that point. 34:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Everything is hindsight right now, but it doesn't mean mass shootings are not going to happen again. 34:53 [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, I know it will happen again. 34:56 [SPEAKER_00]: As for the chose, I mentioned that they left their home under FBI supervision to go incognito for a bit. 35:04 [SPEAKER_00]: Their house had abandoned for months, until one day, they just quietly returned. 35:09 [SPEAKER_00]: They did not attempt to speak to anyone, just kept to themselves. 35:14 [SPEAKER_00]: Their relatives in South Korea also stopped hearing from them, though I don't know if that's changed now, 19 years later. 35:21 [SPEAKER_00]: It's obvious this was a massive tragedy. 35:24 [SPEAKER_00]: And at the time, this tragedy became the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. 35:30 [SPEAKER_00]: Later, though, two other mass shootings took over. 35:33 [SPEAKER_00]: The pulse nightclub shooting in 2016, and then the last Vegas shooting in 2017. 35:40 [SPEAKER_00]: However, it still remains the most deadly school mass shooting event. 35:45 [SPEAKER_00]: I know, it just never stops. 35:48 [SPEAKER_00]: Despite this happening over 19 years ago, my thoughts, 35:52 [SPEAKER_00]: or with the victims and their families. 35:54 [SPEAKER_00]: This is not something anyone can just get over, and so many of the victims were students, young and with everything ahead of them. 36:04 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for taking a time to revisit this case with me. 36:07 [SPEAKER_00]: And please always remember, it is okay to seek help. 36:11 [SPEAKER_00]: It is okay to feel lost, to feel angry. 36:15 [SPEAKER_00]: No one is ever good, 100% of the time. 36:21 [SPEAKER_00]: they're probably pretending. 36:23 [SPEAKER_00]: Take care of yourselves, be there for others and until next time.
Show full transcript (337 segments)
