Ain't this grand... the shooter was known as a stalker. UPDATE: in 2005, he underwent a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation.
Not saying we need gun control, not saying we need to BAN anything.
Just saying- can we take the time to make sure we're not selling weapons to deeply troubled individuals?
As FleetAdmiral has noted in the comments, Virginia has a instant background check. That background check apparently goes beyond a criminal record search:
Virginia: State law requires gun buyers to go through a state-based criminal background check in addition to the federal NICS check. This is the best system since it includes checking both state and federal records to prevent criminals and other prohibited people from buying guns.
But it apparently doesn't go deep enough to pick up prior complaints, either of criminal behavior or mental health issues. This from MSNBC:
The gunman involved in the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history had previously been accused of stalking two female student and had been taken to a mental health facility in 2005, but no charges were filed, police said Wednesday.
Cho Seung-Hui worried one woman enough with his calls and e-mail in 2005 that police were called in, said Police Chief Wendell Flinchum.
He said the woman declined to press charges and Cho was referred to the university disciplinary system. The case was then outside the scope of the police department, he said.
In a separate incident, the department received a call from Cho’s parents who were concerned that he might be suicidal and he was taken to mental health facility, Flinchum said.
update #2 And, the background check apparently doesn't pick up court-ordered psychiatric treatment either. This from ABC:
April 18, 2007 — A Virginia court found that Virginia Tech killer Seung-Hui Cho was "mentally ill" and potentially dangerous. Then the state let him go.
In 2005, after a district court in Montgomery County, Va., ruled that Cho was either a danger to himself or to others — the necessary criteria for a detention order — he was evaluated by a state doctor and ordered to undergo outpatient care.