By John Cook
Students at Virginia Tech and BYU are still in shock as they learn details of what has been called the deadliest shooting on American soil.
'How could something like this happen?' asked Michael Nelson, a student at Virginia Tech majoring in Engineering. 'It is just horrible.'
Nelson said he was sleeping in the Ambler Johnston Hall when the first shooting occurred just two floors above his room.
'Both my roommate and I were asleep, and when I got up at 9 a.m., we had an e-mail that told us to stay in our rooms and lock the doors,' Nelson said.
Students were told to remain in classrooms and dorms until it was safe to go out.
Many students have been frustrated by the phone lines and not being able to reach their friends, said Lucy Robeson, a sophomore at Virginia Tech majoring in math.
'It was frustrating because all the phone lines were clogged up,' Robeson said. 'I am still in the phase of shock.'
Robeson''s brother was on campus in another classroom when the shootings started.
'I was trying to remember the building my brother was in, so I could find out if he was OK,' Robeson said. 'I did get a hold of him and he is okay.'
Student gathered at the LDS institute building to watch the news and to re-unite with friends.
'People are just coming by,' said Nate Tong, a Virginia Tech student majoring in Civil Engineering. 'It is just a nice safe place to be.'
There are between 50 and 60 active LDS Institute members who attend Virginia Tech and all are accounted for, Tong said.
'It is scary and really sad,' said Savannah Jones, a BYU student from Roanoke, Va. 'This is really sad and I know it will affect people I know.'
Robeson said everyone in the institute is doing OK considering the circumstances.
'But when it happens this close to home it makes it real,' Robeson said.