11-mln-dollar settlement for Virginia Tech massacre victims: lawyers
WASHINGTON (AFP) — Survivors and families of victims of last year's Virginia Tech massacre will share a settlement from the state of Virginia worth more than 11 million dollars (eight million euros), their lawyers said Thursday.
"The historic settlement agreement with the Commonwealth of Virginia will result in more than 11 million dollars in financial compensation, health benefits and non-monetary assistance for surviving family members and victims of the April 16, 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech," attorneys Peter Grenier and Douglas Fierberg said in a statement.
In exchange for "the substantial consideration they will receive under the settlement agreement, the families agreeing to this settlement are waiving their rights to sue the Commonwealth of Virginia," Fierberg told AFP.
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine called the deal "a reasonable resolution" to the horrific shooting rampage one year ago that killed 32 students and staff at the school, wounding dozens of others.
"On April 16, 2007, an unthinkable tragedy took place on the campus of Virginia Tech," Kaine said in a statement.
"For several months the victims and victims' families, their counsel, Virginia Tech, and officials of the Commonwealth have worked with serious commitment and diligence toward a reasonable resolution and response to the legitimate needs, interests and concerns arising out of that horrific event," he said.
"A proposal for resolution has now been accepted by a substantial majority of the victims and victims' families," the governor added, declining to release details of the agreement.
The tragedy occurred last year when 23-year-old student Cho Seung-Hui went on a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, a state university with 29,000 full-time students.
Although the lawyers for the victims refused to go into detail about the settlement until it has been finalized, they said it ensured "that seriously injured victims will be well compensated and have their life-long health care needs taken care of forever."
"Families who lost loved ones will be similarly compensated and cared for," the statement said.
"The settlement will also result in the release of previously undisclosed facts and information turned up by our firm's investigation that will enable the public to better understand the events which caused this senseless tragedy and why this settlement with Virginia has been reached," it added.
