Virginia Tech Dedicates Victims' Memorial With Engraved Stones

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- More than 10,000 people gathered Sunday as Virginia Tech dedicated 32 memorial stones to those killed by a student in a mass campus shooting in April.<br/><br/>A bell rang 32 times

Sunday, August 19th 2007, 3:42 pm

By: News On 6

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- More than 10,000 people gathered Sunday as Virginia Tech dedicated 32 memorial stones to those killed by a student in a mass campus shooting in April.

A bell rang 32 times at the end of the ceremony. Then "Amazing Grace" was played as relatives of the slain moved forward to be the first visitors to the memorial.

The stones are engraved with each victim's name. They replace smaller ones set in the same spot in front of an administration building right after the April 16th shootings.

Virginia Tech President Charles Steger calls the memorial an important tribute to those killed.

In the original semicircle, a 33rd stone was added anonymously for the student gunman who killed himself as police closed in. The new memorial has no place for a 33rd marker.