The Richmond area paid tribute to Virginia Tech victims yesterday at two events. A lie-in at Capitol Square gave support to tougher gun-control laws. A gathering at the Virginia Tech Richmond Center brought alumni together.

At the Capitol, 32 people dressed in black lay still on the grass for three minutes to represent the 32 victims of gunman Seung-Hui Cho and the time it took him to buy a gun. About 80 similar lie-ins took place throughout the country yesterday, including one on the Drillfield at Tech.

At the Tech Center on Parham Road, John Andrews, pastor of Wellborne United Methodist Church, offered solace and encouragement to about 80 alumni and friends, who afterward released white balloons. Among them were five sorority sisters who graduated last year.

"They were on campus when it happened," said Melissa Maybury Lubin, director of the Richmond center and the event's organizer. "It was very meaningful for them to come together as friends and be part of the Hokie community again . . . on a day like today. It was very fresh for them, very fresh."

Several speakers at the lie-in were friends or relatives of Emily Haas of Henrico County, who was one of six survivors when Cho barged into her French class of 18 students.

"Emily stayed huddled on the floor, with a cell phone to her ear, whispering to the 911 operator" for at least eight minutes, said her aunt, Bobbi Ansell, who was representing the family because Lori Haas, Emily's mother, went to Tech, where Emily is still a student, for the day.

"Emily tried to be perfectly still, so Cho would think she was already dead. . . . Emily could smell the gunpowder. She could hear her classmates moaning. . . . Emily was shot twice in the back of her head. Although in pain and terrified, she stayed on the line with the 911 operator until the police SWAT team arrived. I'm convinced that the only reason she is alive today, is because she had blond hair and the head wounds bled so profusely that he thought she was dead. . . .

"We need to stop the gun violence in our country."

Pam Carnahan urged participants and about 50 onlookers to write Virginia legislators to close the so-called "gun-show loophole" in state laws. At a gun show, an unlicensed, private dealer can sell a gun without doing a background check on the purchaser.

Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, wore a sticker that said Guns Save Lives. He said greater restrictions on gun purchases would take the country a step closer to gun registration and the possibility of gun confiscation.

Charles Rodideau, 75, of Midlothian said he sees gun control as an essential next step in reforming our culture of violence.

"It's very good to do remembrances," he said, "but you have to get past remembrances and actively work to make changes."
Contact Katherine Calos at (804) 649-6433 or kcalos@timesdispatch.com.