Jury says Virginia Tech was negligent

February 17, 2012

Virginia: A jury in Christiansburg, Virginia, ruled that Virginia Tech officials were negligent in their response to a 2007 shooting spree that left 32 people dead. Families of two victims were awarded $8 million in the verdict. Because of a state law that caps jury awards at $100,000, the families will receive a significantly reduced sum. The families of victims Erin Peterson and Juily Pryde were the only eligible families to reject their share of an $11 million dollar settlement in 2008, instead taking the state to court in a wrongful death lawsuit. The suit alleged that university officials took too long to notify students that a gunman was loose on the campus.

Lawyers for the university argued that no one could have reasonably foreseen the massacre that took place. The state is likely to appeal the verdict. Virginia Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski said, "we are disappointed with today's decision and stand by our long-held position that the administration and law enforcement at Virginia Tech did their absolute best with the information available on April 16, 2007."