Virginia Tech Lockdown Over; Shooter Believed Dead

Virginia Tech has lifted its lockdown after today's fatal shootings that left two people dead and says the community is safe. Police confirmed little but said to "read between the lines" about speculation of a murder-suicide, reports the Roanoke Times. Based on that comment and more details from AP, it looks like the gunman walked up to a campus police officer making a traffic stop in a parking lot and shot him to death. The gunman, a white male, then walked into a second parking lot and killed himself.

No word yet on motive, but it does not appear to be related to the original traffic stop. The driver of that car was uninjured and was being interviewed by police. By coincidence, the shooting came on the day that school officials were appealing an Education Department fine for its response to the 2007 shooting rampage on campus in which 33 people died. (More Virginia Tech shootings stories.)