Fed: Australian student told of mass shooting = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2007
Fed: Australian student told of mass shooting = 2

Ms Garard told ABC Radio in Queensland the shooting would not scare her away from finishing
her communications degree at Virginia Tech.

"I just can't wait to get home, but I'm not going to let this scare me away from finishing
my semester," she said.

"I love Blacksburg, I love the town, so I'm going to finish up and then I'm going to
come home as fast as I can."

Ms Garard said she was yet to leave her dorm room since the shootings, but intended
to have a look around the campus shortly.

"I'm actually wanting to go down and perhaps leave some flowers or something down in
Norris Hall, and just go down and see if I can support any of the students down there
that I know," she said.

Ms Garard's mother said she was still shaken by the incident.

"It's going to take me a while to get over it," her mother told Seven.

"I just feel sick, I really do, I really feel sick."

Australian diplomats in Washington are seeking information on eight other Australians
believed to be enrolled at Virginia Tech.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said there were no reports yet of any Australian
casualties.

"We are not aware of any Australians caught up in the situation and the embassy in
Washington is investigating," a DFAT spokesman said.

AAP mfh/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: US CAMPUS AUST LEAD 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

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