Statement from V Tech killer's family - they hurt too

Text of statement from family of Virginia Tech shooter

Statement issued to The Associated Press by Sun-Kyung Cho, sister of Cho Seung-Hui:

"On behalf of our family, we are so deeply sorry for the devastation my brother has caused. No words can express our sadness that 32 innocent people lost their lives this week in such a terrible, senseless tragedy.

We are heartbroken.

We grieve alongside the families, the Virginia Tech community, our State of Virginia, and the rest of the nation. And, the world.

Every day since April 16, my father, mother and I pray for students Ross Abdallah Alameddine, Brian Roy Bluhm, Ryan Christopher Clark, Austin Michelle Cloyd, Matthew Gregory Gwaltney, Caitlin Millar Hammaren, Jeremy Michael Herbstritt, Rachael Elizabeth Hill, Emily Jane Hilscher, Jarrett Lee Lane, Matthew Joseph La Porte, Henry J. Lee, Partahi Mamora Halomoan Lumbantoruan, Lauren Ashley McCain, Daniel Patrick O'Neil, J. Ortiz-Ortiz, Minal Hiralal Panchal, Daniel Alejandro Perez, Erin Nicole Peterson, Michael Steven Pohle Jr., Julia Kathleen Pryde, Mary Karen Read, Reema Joseph Samaha, Waleed Mohamed Shaalan, Leslie Geraldine Sherman, Maxine Shelly Turner, Nicole White, Instructor Christopher James Bishop, and Professors Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, Kevin P. Granata, Liviu Librescu and G.V. Loganathan.

We pray for their families and loved ones who are experiencing so much excruciating grief. And we pray for those who were injured and for those whose lives are changed forever because of what they witnessed and experienced.

Each of these people had so much love, talent and gifts to offer, and their lives were cut short by a horrible and senseless act.

We are humbled by this darkness. We feel hopeless, helpless and lost. This is someone that I grew up with and loved. Now I feel like I didn't know this person.

We have always been a close, peaceful and loving family. My brother was quiet and reserved, yet struggled to fit in. We never could have envisioned that he was capable of so much violence.

He has made the world weep. We are living a nightmare.

There is much justified anger and disbelief at what my brother did, and a lot of questions are left unanswered. Our family will continue to co-operate fully and do whatever we can to help authorities understand why these senseless acts happened. We have many unanswered questions as well.

Our family is so very sorry for my brother's unspeakable actions. It is a terrible tragedy for all of us.

-

Source: North Carolina lawyer Wade Smith, who provided the statement on behalf of the Cho family

I am still praying for his family.

I cant even imagine what they are going through right now. I just hope and pray that people dont take their anger out on them, as they had nothing to do with it.

There lives are definetely destroyed over this, how horrible for them. Its such a waste.

There was more to this report. Their lawyer said that they are staying with friends or family right now.

The police have said that when they move back to their home, they will act immediately regarding any hate crimes that might happen.

The killer was obviously tortured and very sick...did he not think how this would affect his own family, let alone the families and friends of his victims?

:(

A couple of students from V Tech said they also feel really bad for the family. Let's hope that common sense prevails amid the horrible pain.

All things aside...


The "family spokesman" has been replaced by the lawyer who has provided the statement on "behalf of the family". :(

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Originally Posted by Catty1

There was more to this report. Their lawyer said that they are staying with friends or family right now.

The police have said that when they move back to their home, they will act immediately regarding any hate crimes that might happen.

The killer was obviously tortured and very sick...did he not think how this would affect his own family, let alone the families and friends of his victims?

:(

A couple of students from V Tech said they also feel really bad for the family. Let's hope that common sense prevails amid the horrible pain.

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the thought of rationale over emotion in this instance is low. I pray that these people suffer no more.

The media have made it very public knowledge that this family is not staying in their own home - I wonder why?

For the same reason the lawyer is giving the statement publicly and not the sister - the family is in great danger from those weird minds that might decide to seriously hurt or kill the family.


JMO

Richard - the sister issued the statement - the lawyer released it to AP.

"He has made the world weep. We are living a nightmare," said a statement issued by Cho's sister, Sun-Kyung Cho, on the family's behalf.

It was the Chos' first public comment since the 23-year-old student killed 32 people and committed suicide Monday in the deadliest shooting rampage in modern U.S. history.

Raleigh, N.C., lawyer Wade Smith provided the statement to the AP after the Cho family reached out to him. Smith said the family would not answer any questions, and neither would he."

About the sister: "a 2004 Princeton University graduate who works as a contractor for a State Department office that oversees American aid for Iraq."

Anyone who had a family member with mental illness knows there is precious little this family could have done to intervene. Once the person is an adult (over 18) the privacy laws and constitutional rights make it extremely hard to help someone who does not want help. And unfortunately, one component of many mental illnesses is that the person doesn't see himself as ill; it is the people around him who are sick and in need of assistance.

Now one has said, but I have wondered if the parents are fluent in English. That maybe another reason for the daughter stepping in, and the lawyer as well.

This is such a sad tragedy for the whole nation, but the boy's family is definately up there on who it has affected the most. I feel bad for everyone who was involved and who's lives were changed thanks to this horrific crime. I will pray for the family, and I hope they don't get the blows that they're brother/son/etc. have caused. :(

I'm lost for words on this. I feel terribly for the families and friends of the victims and also the family of the murderer, I can't imagine what any of them are going through. As mentioned by Critter Crazy, I just hope people don't take their anger and disgust out on the boy's family...it's not their fault.

I think the amount of press coverage (that has been hitting England too) has been phenonmenal (??) - questionning the victims families about how they are feeling...well doh! How you do think they are feeling??? And as for showing the video's that he made in between killings.....words can't describe.

They are victims of the tragedy too. A few prayers should be sent their way

My heart goes out to this boy's family too. This is will be a heavy burden on them for the rest of their lives. 32 students & professors died, and the 33rd person who died was their son. They lost him first to mental illness, and then to suicide after he left behind an unthinkable wake of violence. I can't imagine the heartache they must feel. I pray that someday, they can find peace of mind.

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Originally Posted by cassiesmom

The media have made it very public knowledge that this family is not staying in their own home - I wonder why?

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I wish the media would please quit bringing it up. It doesn't matter where the family is staying as long as they are safe from weird minds. I can't imagine what they must be going through. I hope they don't get retaliated against for what their family member did.