The families of two women killed in the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting have filed appeals to the state’s decision that University president, Charles Steger, could not be held accountable for their deaths. In their appeal, lawyers for the families argued that the university had a responsibility to keep faculty and students aware of any threat to their safety and failed to do so in a timely manner. The state’s defense maintains that school officials handled the situation carefully and with full regard to the safety of its community members.
Although the state was found negligent in the deaths of Erin N. Peterson and Julia K. Pryde, the women’s families would like to see Steger held accountable for the school’s decision not to immediately alert students that there had been a shooting and that the gunman’s whereabouts were not confirmed. A ruling in favor of the families could result in greater financial payouts.
