April 16 Memorial
Drillfield, in front of Burruss Hall · Dedicated 2007
The April 16 Memorial on the Drillfield
Photo: Eric T Gunther, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
On April 16, 2007, 32 members of the Virginia Tech community were killed in a mass shooting on campus. In the days that followed, the Hokie community responded with extraordinary solidarity, gathering on the Drillfield in vigils that drew tens of thousands. That spirit of collective remembrance continues today.
The 32 Hokie Stones
A semicircle of 32 engraved Hokie Stones stands on the Drillfield in front of Burruss Hall, one for each life lost. Each stone weighs 300 pounds and bears the name of a student, faculty member, or resident advisor taken that day.
Read their stories at weremember.vt.eduDay of Remembrance
Each April 16, the university holds a Day of Remembrance. At 12:01 a.m., student representatives light a ceremonial candle at the memorial while all 32 names are read aloud, and the Corps of Cadets stands guard for 32 minutes. A wreath-laying and moment of silence follow at 9:43 a.m. The candle burns for 24 hours before the Corps returns at midnight to carry the light back into Burruss Hall. The nearest Saturday, thousands of Hokies walk and run the 3.2 for 32 Run in Remembrance across campus.
A Lasting Legacy
In the years since, Virginia Tech built one of the nation's most comprehensive campus safety systems: VT Alerts, a multi-channel emergency notification system reaching every student and employee; a threat assessment team that became a national model; and a significant expansion of counseling resources at the Cook Counseling Center. These changes honor the 32 through lasting commitment to the safety of the Hokie community.