BLACKSBURG, Va. - Thursday marks the two-year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings, in which 32 people lost their lives. Several events took place Thursday to honor the memory of those victims.

The remembrances began before sunrise with the lighting of a memorial candle and the playing of taps to honor those who lost their lives here on April 16th 2007.

The two separate shootings took place two hours apart on the Virginia Tech campus. When it was over gunman Seung-hui Cho had killed 32 people and wounded 12 others.

Today, on the Blacksburg campus, thousands came together to pay tribute to the lives lost.

"We're doing so much better this year than last year, because last year we used it for healing and this year its more just a remembrance," said Virginia Tech senior Zach Frye.

Thirty-two white balloons were released along with hundreds of other in Hokie colors to remember the victims. A run/walk was held in which thousands of people participated. An estimated 4,000 people ran or walked 3.2 miles to honor those killed by a student gunman two years ago.

"I think it's a really great opportunity to honor the people that died and I think it's a great way to show the school coming together," said Virginia Tech Freshman Lindsey McKissick.

"Fifty percent of the people are new and they weren't here, but there's still a respect for the day and wanting to honor our fallen Hokies," said Kathy Staats, roomate of a victim.

In Washington, Tech alumni Greg O'Brien marked the day by participating in a lie in to raise awareness for the need for stricter gun control laws.

"The day, it brings back so many horrible memories, but its great that people can band together and remember those 32 victims," O'Brien said.

The days events also included the opening of a new peace center located in a refurbished classroom wing where most of the students were killed. The final tribute will be a candlelight vigil at dusk. 

 

Students gathered to mourn those lost in the massacre, still the deadliest mass shooting by a lone shooter in American history.

Randy Sterne, father of injured student Kevin Sterne, said the race was an uplifting beginning to the day's events.

One was Lolly Miller, whose daughter Heidi Miller was injured in the classroom building where Seung-Hui Cho killed 30 of his victims and himself on April 16, 2007.

Miller, 48, said she's more comfortable on a treadmill, but thought it important to enter the race.

"It's all because I want to be there for the people who died," she said.

Heidi Miller planned to run, as did most of the 12 injured students still on campus, said Debbie Day, head of the school's Office of Recovery and Support.

Fred Cook, an engineering student who injured an ankle when he jumped out a second-floor classroom window to escape the gunfire, took up running after he recovered and has done several marathons and triathlons. The injured students thought the race was a good idea, he said.

"It's certainly something that's bringing the community together here," Cook said. 

Classes had already been canceled, but the response to the "3.2 for 32" race was so great that the school also delayed opening offices until midmorning to avoid traffic jams.

The race was viewed as a positive beginning to a somber day for families of those killed and the injured students still struggling to cope with the tragedy.

"Not a day goes by that we don't think about it," Cook said. "This increased sense of awareness by everyone certainly makes it more acute for us."

A highlight of the day was a ceremony scheduled on the main lawn to honor the accomplishments of the 27 students and five faculty members killed.

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