Apr 14, 2008 10:25 pm US/Central
Va. Tech Shooting Survivor Speaks On Gun Control
Gun Rights Activists Say They Remain Steadfast Against Additional Gun Legislation
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (CBS) ―
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Garrett Evans of Chicago survived the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech University (File)
CBS
One Chicago college has reopened after threats shut it down for a time Monday, but another Chicago college remains closed.
St. Xavier University shut down Friday and has not reopened. Malcolm X College reopened Monday afternoon.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports some students were definitely unsettled by what happened at Malcolm X – it's the latest in a string of incidents that had people talking gun control, including a man shot while a student at Virginia Tech.
Garrett Evans intentionally relived his nightmare at Virginia Tech, an all-too-real campus massacre that happened one year ago this week.
"The more he shoots, the more bodies drop to the floor, blood spurting just like fountains," Evans recounted to the crowd.
Evans brought his story and thoughts on gun policy to a forum held at Naperville's NIU campus exactly two months after five students were shot dead in DeKalb.
"I know there are people who are pro-guns, but this is not about anti- or pro-guns," Evans said. "This is about keeping guns out of the wrong hands."
The discussion also came on the same day that several Chicago-area schools, including Saint Xavier University and Malcolm X College, either canceled classes or shut down because of threats found written on property.
Nina Vinik with the Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence doesn't think it's an over-reaction.
"I don't think we can say any more, 'well, it can't happen here,'" Vinik said, "because the reality is it can happen anywhere and we need to be mindful of that and we need to look for ways to make sure the next one doesn't happen."
But the majority of those listening to her speak in Naperville were staunch gun rights activists, who insist the laws on the books right now are enough.
"We are not going to change our position," said Richard Pearson of the Illinois Rifle Association. "None of the laws that are proposed in Springfield will help stop crime."
Malcolm X College resumed classes, and class at four other schools will be back in session Tuesday.
St. Xavier, however, remains closed indefinitely.
(CBS 2, the Naperville Sun and the Aurora Beacon-News are news partners covering stories in the western suburbs. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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