Gunman Sent Video During Lull In Slaughter

The student declined to press charges, and Cho was referred to the university disciplinary system, which took no action because the offense seemed too minor, the chief said.

The next month, a second female student complained to campus police, and within 24 hours, police got a call that Cho might be suicidal, Flinchum said. Police visited him and urged him to seek counseling, the chief said.

On Dec. 13, 2005, a temporary detention order, instructing that Cho be taken to the Carilion St. Albans Psychiatric Hospital in nearby Radford, was signed by a judge, according to court papers. The next day, a Virginia Department of Mental Health document recorded a mental-health professional's description of Cho as seeming blank and "depressed," but denying "suicidal ideation. He does not acknowledge symptoms of a thought disorder. His insight and judgment seem normal."

The form described Cho as mentally ill but added that he did not present an imminent danger to himself or others and did not require involuntary hospitalization.

It was not clear yesterday how long Cho spent in the hospital, but the documents indicate it was one day.

University officials stressed that there was no threat in the e-mails, and the two female recipients only considered them annoying. Neither of the two women was among Cho's victims Monday. "No criminal activities had taken place," Flinchum said.

Ed Spencer, a university associate vice president of student affairs, said the school would not comment on Cho's disciplinary record. "Even upon death, that record is still protected," he said.

Whether the university should have done more after having this contact with Cho will be part of the major review that will begin soon by an independent panel, officials said.

Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) announced yesterday that former state police superintendent Gerald Massengill will participate in the review of the university's response to the shootings.

The incidents came to light at a time when Cho's conduct and writings had raised concerns among several of his teachers in the school's English Department.

Authorities also revealed yesterday what was seized in their search of Cho's university residence, at 2121 Harper Hall.

The search warrant, filed late Tuesday in Montgomery County, Va., Circuit Court, said the items taken included a "folding knife and combination pad lock," a Compaq computer, various documents and writings from Cho's computer, nine books and two notebooks.

Officials also said that before purchasing the 9mm Glock handgun or the Walther P22, which he used in the killings, Cho would have had to fill out a Virginia State Police eligibility form for an instant background check.

One question on the form asks: "Have you ever been adjudicated legally incompetent, mentally incapacitated, or been involuntarily committed to a mental institution?"

Once Cho's background check came back clean, he would have had to fill out federal form No. 4473 asking once again if he had been adjudicated "mentally defective" or committed to a mental institution.

Cho's 24-hour detention before a hearing on his mental status probably does not meet the definition of being involuntarily committed, legal experts said. But there is a question of whether the detention would meet the broader federal standard.

Back at Virginia Tech, the NBC video was the talk of the campus.

Maddy Barnes, a junior English major from Leesburg, had a British literature class with Cho in 2005, when he was briefly hospitalized.

"It's so disturbing," Barnes said of Cho's videos.

"It's horrifying," agreed Pete Hughes, a junior theater major. "It just showed how calculating he was. It definitely gave the answer that he woke up intending to do this."

But, he added, "It's comforting to a degree." Barnes, nodded, saying she understood that. It showed he was not a normal guy who just snapped, she said.

Both students thought the videos showed how narcissistic Cho was. He clearly knew this would bring him attention.

Others, though, said the video did not help them understand.

"I personally don't care what he has to say," said Daniel Frawley, a 2003 graduate, who lives in Blacksburg. "There is no possible good reason for anything that happened. No possible explanation he can offer."