Reuters AlertNet Lite - Campus gunman lived in U.S. since 1992

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Campus gunman lived in U.S. since 1992 - official

17 Apr 2007 14:53:27 GMT
Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, April 17 (Reuters) - The South Korean gunman who killed 32 people and himself at Virginia Tech university had lived legally in the United States with his parents for 14 years, a U.S. immigration official said on Tuesday.

Cho Seung-Hui, 23, moved to the United States in September 1992 and lived in Centreville, Virginia, said Chris Bentley, a spokesman with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Cho, a student of English literature at the university, was identified by police as the gunman responsible for Monday's killings -- the worst shooting rampage in U.S. history.

As a resident alien, commonly known as a green-card holder, Cho could live and work indefinitely in the United States, although he would not be able to vote or obtain a U.S. passport, Bentley said.

Bentley declined to release information about Cho's parents, citing privacy laws.

Cho's family could not be reached for comment.

Fox News reported that federal agents had searched the Cho home in Centreville.

The South Korean government said it was concerned about a possible backlash against South Koreans in the United States after the shooting.

"We are working closely with our diplomatic missions and local Korean residents' associations in anticipation of any situation that may arise," a foreign ministry official said by telephone. (With reporting by Jack Kim in Seoul)

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Last updated:Tue Apr 17 14:57:52 2007