On the morning of April 16, 2007, 19-year-old Emily Jane Hilscher was shot in her dorm room at West Ambler Johnston Hall on the Virginia Tech campus. A freshman from Woodville, Virginia, studying Animal and Poultry Sciences and active on the equestrian team, Emily was known for her love of animals and her ambition to become a veterinarian. At about 7:15 a.m., fellow student Seung-Hui Cho entered her room and shot her. Emily survived for roughly three hours after the shooting but ultimately died of her wounds.

Resident assistant Ryan Clark, 22, ran to help and was also shot and killed by Cho before Cho left the room. Initial speculation suggested a possible romantic dispute, but investigators found no evidence that Emily had met or spoken with Cho prior to the attack. Cho later carried out a separate, larger attack at Norris Hall and died by suicide; a note in his dorm contained angry, rambling complaints but no clear reason for targeting Emily specifically.

Did anyone on campus in April 2007 have information about Emily’s routine or interactions that could clarify why she was targeted?