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At least 22 people have been killed and 21 more injured after a gunman went on the rampage at the campus of Virginia Tech university in Virginia, US.
Police say there were two separate shooting incidents - one at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a student dormitory, and Norris Hall, an engineering building.

The incidents were about two hours apart. Police say they believe there was one gunman and that he is dead.

The state university in the town of Blacksburg is home to 26,000 students.

"We have a ballpark figure on fatalities. It's at least 20 fatalities," Virginia Tech police chief Wendell Flinchum said.

Rescue hampered

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Flinchum said that emergency services had received a call at 0715 (1215 GMT) alerting them to a multiple shooting at West Ambler Johnston Hall.

He said that two hours later there was a second report of shooting, this time at Norris Hall.


A fleet of ambulances has ferried the injured to nearby hospitals however, rescue efforts were reportedly hampered by high winds which meant that medical helicopters could not be used.

Mr Flinchum said that police believed there had been just one shooter involved and that he was now dead at Norris Hall.

He said it was unclear if the assailant was a student, but said that a number of the victims were.

"Some of the victims were shot in a classroom," Mr Flinchum said.

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said, adding that the university was in the process of informing the next of kin of those killed.

Mr Steger said that officials were in the process of evacuating remaining students and staff from campus and that the university was now closed.