In the wake of Monday’s massacre at Virginia Tech University, Gov. Bill Ritter has reached out to his counterpart in Virginia, offering condolences and assistance in the form of knowledge gained following the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Jefferson County.
“I just made an offer to say there may be some lessons we have learned as a state in the aftermath of Columbine that we could share with the people of Virginia, with his administration, particularly as it relates to try and take care of the people who are witnesses to this event, the individuals who are victims, family members, victims who were injured, those types of things,” Ritter said Tuesday morning in describing a letter he’d written to Gov. Timothy Kaine.
Ritter said he also left Kaine a voice mail Monday night, and his chief of staff has been communicating with his counterpart in the Virginia governor’s office.
In line with President Bush’s order for flags at federal facilities, Ritter ordered state flags lowered to half-staff Tuesday through sunset on Sunday to honor the shooting victims.
“This is a national tragedy, and we all are grieving. Colorado knows all too well the indescribable sorrow being felt in Virginia,” Ritter said in a statement.
“With the eighth anniversary of the Columbine shootings approaching this Friday,” he added, “we also must be mindful of taking care of ourselves here in Colorado.”
