Richard Kerr (26), from Dublin city centre, moved to Blacksburg seven years ago and has been studying at the college for three years, earning two degrees. He has two years left of a PhD in developmental immunotoxicology and is a lab supervisor and lecturer. He was the senior staff member on duty in his faculty when word broke that there was a major security incident involving a gunman.

Kerr's younger sister Laura also studies at the college and one of her friends was among the 32 people killed by Cho Seung-Hui. Kerr used to live in the same dorm where the first two victims were murdered and dropped his girlfriend off close to Norris Hall an hour before Cho went on the rampage.

"I dropped my girlfriend Sarah off at around 8.15am and drove to my lab nearby on campus and there was a message from her asking me to urgently call her as soon as I got in. She works as a programme coordinator at the university and heard of the shooting incident at Ambler Johnston Hall.

"It hadn't been confirmed yet, but she heard there were two people dead and told me to tell the other staff. I didn't want to take any chances so immediately set about locking the doors and moving people away from the windows while trying to keep people calm and ensure their safety.

"We got an email from the administration at 9.26am telling us that an incident had taken place but it wasn't until we put on the TV and saw the later coverage on CNN that we knew the extent of the situation that we had on our hands.

"I was initially extremely worried but I knew I had a job to do and had to keep the students calm. I rang everybody I know to tell them to stay away from campus. It was such a mix of emotions. I tried to ring my sister's cell phone six times but it was off.

"She had a class at 8am but luckily she was still in her apartment and missed it. One of her male friends was a victim, unfortunately. She is obviously devastated at what happened and is very upset."

Laura Kerr (20) is studying science and has returned to her mother and father in Chesapeake, Virginia, to get over her ordeal. Kerr's other brother Robert graduated from Virginia Tech last year.

The Kerr family moved to Virginia in the mid1990s from their home near Smithfield. Kerr's father is an accountant in Virginia and he sees Blacksburg as his home. "Everyone here has been so nice to me since my first day here. That is why I chose Virginia Tech over other universities. It is a great tight-knit community here and I stayed this week because I'm part of the community and wanted to show solidarity and help in any way I could."

Kerr says the mood on campus changed from shock to anger once the tapes and photographs that the gunman sent to NBC in New York were released on Wednesday. "I was in a bar with friends and our jaws just dropped. There had been initial shock and disbelief, but that soon changed to anger. He had planned this down to the nearest minute, even testing the security systems. I think the first two shootings were a decoy to throw the police off his scent. He had obviously planned this for weeks."

Kerr does not think the biggest gun massacre in US history will lead to reform of the liberal gun laws.

"The right to carry a weapon is engrained in US culture and I cannot see that changing."