Virginia Tech Shootings: Massachusetts Universities Respond

As expected, local universities are evaluating their own security response mechanisms in the hopes of avoiding a rampage similar to what happened at Virginia Tech.

Boston police didn't wait around - they held a meeting with representatives from local universities one day after the shootings. (Look on the bright side of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force embarrassment - we already know that the BPD and local law enforcement are fast.)

WHDH reports, "The group focused on their protocol for a disaster scenario, like a mass shooting, as well as methods for better communication between school officials, authorities and students. Boston police will work with campus officers on how to respond to active shooting situations."

In a wise move, the BPD is being flexible about training. Some schools have armed police, and some schools don't. Suzanne Smalley of the Globe writes, "Training for unarmed security guards will focus more on how to summon Boston police quickly and work collaboratively with them."

The key word here is "quick" - we still don’t know why it took so long for Virginia Tech students to hear about the first set of shootings in a dormitory and why they weren't told to stay in their dorms after those shootings.

The BPD has already had to deal with an aspiring copycat who took classes at Boston University. Right after the Virginia Tech massacre, Andrew Rosenblum, 20, sent an e-mail to a woman he dated, threatening another Virginia Tech. Either it was a desperate cry for help or the police acted just in time - he was picked up by Needham police and taken to the hospital.

All charges alleged until proven under law.