can something good come out of something bad?

As more and more information appears about the shooting at Virginia Tech University reactions to the tragedy have been predictable. Students who knew Cho Seung-Hui told of how he was a loner, they thought he may suffer from insanity - a description borne out by the subsequent reports that he had a history of mental illness and was committed for treatment in 2005 and the bizarre videos he made leading up to the attack. How often are the people who carry out atrocities such as this referred to anything other than quiet and withdrawn. When was the last time you heard of a mass murderer who was the life and soul of the party? There are of course accusations being thrown around that his history should have acted as a warning - but who could honestly have predicted what he was to do.

That's crazy. He kills two people and then goes to the post office and then he's ready for round two? It's creepy... He just goes on and on - that's got to be more than he's spoken, ever. I thought, 'well, he does talk.'

Fellow student Nick Jeremiah when shown clips from the video.

On this side of the Atlantic blame is being firmly put on the gun culture that exists in the states. It has been suggested that we haven't seen anything like this since 1996 when a massacre in a primary school in Dunblane led to stricter gun control. Back then Thomas Hamilton, a scout leader, walked into the school with four handguns and killed sixteen children and a teacher. The guns were all owned by him legally and under licence. Shortly afterwards a law was passed banning handguns.

We may not have had a similar atrocity since the 90s but I really think we need to avoid the 'could only happened in the US' cliches that are being thrown around at the moment. We should remember that not too long ago there were news reports about a number of stabbings in schools (one no more than ten miles from where I live.) We seem to have forgotten the frightening statistics about the number of pupils who bring knives to school. Yesterday morning I listened to an oddly lighthearted radio interview about a company that is selling Slash-proof hoodies, lined with Kevlar. A spokesman for the company told of how at least one high school was interested in a version being incorporated into their school uniform. Still, it could only happen in England.

"There is a real feeling among kids that the streets are not safe," said Barry Samms of Essex-based firm Bladerunner. "If we can make it trendy to protect yourself then we're doing something to help."

Except it doesn't - stories like it are appearing all over. And it's not just a recent thing either. If my memory serves there was talk of staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast having to wear stab proof vests while they were at work. Teachers are constantly being warned to be vigilant as story after story comes through about personal attacks by pupils. It's a scary world out there. And yet I can honestly say that I have never feared form my personal safety in any situation (thus far.) These are frightening stories but the fact that they still shock us goes to show they we haven't become completely desensitised - yet.

If this latest atrocity leads to changes in the US attitude towards guns then that would be wonderful and something good will have come out of something terrible. If the stories of knife crime in English schools leads to action being taken to diffuse the situation - terrific. In the meantime I'll keep looking for Kevlar suits in my size.