On the morning of April 16, 2007, Emily Jane Hilscher, a 19-year-old female student, was in her dormitory room at West Ambler Johnston Hall on the Virginia Tech campus. A freshman from Woodville, Virginia, Emily was pursuing a degree in Animal and Poultry Sciences with dreams of becoming a veterinarian. She was known for her love of animals and was a skilled horsewoman on the university's equestrian team.
At approximately 7:15 a.m., fellow student Seung-Hui Cho entered her room and shot
her. The gunshots drew the attention of Ryan Clark, a 22-year-old senior and resident assistant, who attempted to aid Emily. Cho then shot and killed Clark before leaving the scene. Emily remained alive for three hours after being shot, but ultimately succumbed to her injuries.
Initial speculation in the aftermath of the tragedy suggested a romantic dispute between Hilscher and Cho. Detectives investigated the possibility that Cho was infatuated with Emily and became enraged by rejection. However, extensive investigation found no evidence that Emily had any prior relationship with Cho or had ever met or spoken to him before he murdered her.
The perpetrator, 23-year-old Seung-Hui Cho, was a senior English major at the university. After killing Hilscher and Clark, he returned to his own dorm room, re-armed, and mailed a package containing writings and videos to a news outlet before proceeding to Norris Hall. There, he carried out a second, larger attack, killing 30 more people before dying by suicide as law enforcement breached the building. A note found in Cho's dorm room contained rambling complaints about 'rich kids,' 'debauchery,' and 'deceitful charlatans,' but offered no clear motive for his actions or for targeting Emily specifically.
