Living for 32 (2010) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Colin Goddard was the only person inside Norris Hall who called the police during the attack. His French professor urged him to dial 911 as gunfire drew closer to their classroom. While others were likely in shock or hiding, Goddard's quick thinking led to the only emergency call that helped responders locate the shooters faster.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the day, the campus felt like a normal academic environment, with students attending classes in languages and engineering, making the sudden violence even more disorienting.

• colin goddard
• 911 call
• virginia tech
• norris hall
• emergency response

After Colin Goddard initially called 911, he handed the phone to a classmate who provided critical information to responders, including the specific location inside Norris Hall. This handoff enabled police to narrow down where to direct their response, proving pivotal in the rescue effort.

Foreshadowing: The French professor's urgent instruction to dial 911 set the stage for this critical decision.

• colin goddard
• 911 call
• classmate
• police
• norris hall

Colin Goddard was shot four times during the eleven-minute assault inside Norris Hall. Despite the severity of his injuries, he survived and later underwent extensive physical therapy to rebuild his strength.

Foreshadowing: The attack moved through multiple classrooms, with the shooter targeting students on three separate occasions where Goddard was located.

• colin goddard
• shot
• injuries
• norris hall
• virginia tech

During the rescue operation, workers shouted "red tag" and "black tag" to categorize victims. Red tag indicated those with life-threatening injuries requiring immediate attention, while black tag designated those who had died. This triage system helped responders prioritize care in the chaotic aftermath.

Foreshadowing: Goddard heard these codes while waiting for help, understanding the grim reality of who around him had survived.

• triage
• red tag
• black tag
• virginia tech
• rescue
• victims

After recovering from his injuries, Colin Goddard chose to channel his experience into advocacy by joining the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the nation's largest gun-control organization. He wanted to change how people think about safety and access to weapons, transforming his personal tragedy into public action.

Foreshadowing: The doctors' warning that he might never walk again catalyzed his determination to make his survival meaningful.

• colin goddard
• brady campaign
• gun violence
• advocacy
• activism

Colin Goddard volunteered to wear a hidden camera and go undercover into gun shows across the United States. His mission was to demonstrate how easily a gun could be purchased with little to no identification or background checks, exposing vulnerabilities in gun sales to push for policy changes.

Foreshadowing: This bold plan reflected his determination to keep dangerous people from obtaining firearms too easily.

• colin goddard
• undercover
• gun shows
• hidden camera
• background checks
• brady campaign

Doctors warned Colin Goddard that he might not walk again due to the severity of his four gunshot wounds. The injuries were so severe that his recovery was uncertain, requiring grueling physical therapy before he could regain mobility.

Foreshadowing: The rescue workers' triage codes (red tag, black tag) highlighted how critical his injuries were during the initial response.

• colin goddard
• injuries
• recovery
• physical therapy
• walking
• prognosis

The shooter wielded two semiautomatic handguns and carried dozens of 10-round and 15-round magazines, along with 400 rounds of hollow-point ammunition. This arsenal allowed the attacker to inflict massive harm during the eleven-minute assault in Norris Hall.

Foreshadowing: The description of the assailant as a "tortured loner" marked as dangerous by a judge hinted at the lethal intent that followed.

• weapons
• guns
• handguns
• ammunition
• virginia tech
• norris hall

The shooting attack inside Norris Hall lasted approximately eleven minutes. During this brief but devastating period, the shooter moved through the building, firing at students and staff, resulting in 32 deaths and 17 wounded.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows the rapid escalation from a normal snowy April day to tragedy in just minutes.

• duration
• eleven minutes
• norris hall
• virginia tech
• shooting

Colin Goddard was a 21-year-old senior majoring in International Studies at Virginia Tech. Originally from Richmond, he was pursuing his degree when the shooting occurred in Norris Hall during what began as a routine day of classes.

Foreshadowing: His French professor's presence in the classroom during the attack led to the pivotal 911 call.

• colin goddard
• international studies
• virginia tech
• student
• richmond