Virginia, bastion of peace, home to institutions of higher education.

I'm thinking enrollment in Virginia higher ed may not be rising?


WOODBRIDGE, Va. (AP) - A community college student was upset about his
grades when he walked into a classroom and fired two shots at his
professor before his new rifle jammed, police said Wednesday.

Jason M. Hamilton, 20, was unable to continue shooting at mathematics
professor Tatyana Kravchuk, who ducked behind a desk and was not hit,
Prince William County police Maj. Ray Colgan said. No one was injured.

"Probably what prevented a further tragedy was that the gun jammed,"
Colgan said.

Hamilton bought the Marlin .30-06 bolt-action rifle Monday at a Dick's
Sporting Goods store near the campus, police said.

Hamilton was arraigned Wednesday on charges of attempted murder and
discharging a firearm in a school zone. He was being held without
bond, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 11.

David R. Daugherty, Hamilton's attorney, declined to comment on the
charges and said his client's family is asking for privacy.

"He has two parents that love him, and obviously they're going through
a tremendous ordeal," said Daugherty, who was hired by the family.

Tuesday afternoon's shooting caused students and professors to
scramble for cover at Northern Virginia Community College's Woodbridge
campus, about 25 miles south of Washington. No one was injured in the
attack.

According to police, Hamilton walked into the classroom, pulled the
rifle out of a bag and pointed it at Kravchuk. He missed with the
first shot, at which point she dropped behind a desk and told students
to leave the room, Colgan said.

Hamilton fired again and missed again, then dropped the gun on the
floor after it jammed, Colgan said. He left the room, sat in a chair
and waited for police. When officers arrived, he surrendered
peacefully and confessed to the shooting, Colgan said.