Tech families want case reopened

ROANOKE, Va. - The families of the Virginia Tech shooting victims say they want the investigation reopened because of inaccuracies in the report. The families made the petition to Governor Kaine on Tuesday.

They also want to see the mental health records of shooter Seung-Hui Cho, which were found last week.

For the families of those killed or injured at virginia Tech, reopening the investigation brings mixed emotions; the images of that day are still tough to watch.

Reema Samaha was one of those who died on April 16, 2007. Her cousin, Dr. Lisa Marie Samaha, wants to know more about the young man who took her life.

"We need to know a little bit more about what others knew and didn't reveal," Dr. Samaha told WAVY.com.

Dr. Samaha lost a close cousin. She says learning all we can about shooter Seung-Hui Cho and the missing mental health records may prevent more massacres in the future.

In his monthly radio show on Washington's WTOP, Governor Tim Kaine reaffirmed his commitment to helping the families. "We are going to reopen the factual narrative of that report and look at any information that has come in since the report was done in September 2007, to determine if any corrections need to be made," Governor Kaine said.

Governor Kaine said reconvening the appointed panel would be difficult since they were all volunteers. However, he says investigators are looking into Dr. Robert Miller, who says he inadvertently took Cho's files when he left his job as director of Virginia Tech's Cook Counseling Center more than a year before the shootings.

Jamal Carver's family in Virginia Beach wants answers too. Carver survived two gunshot wounds at the hands of Cho. His father talked to WAVY.com about the investigation. He said he "would like to see it reopened to see if there's anything else that could have been done to prevent it and to learn more about the shooter's thought process."

"These records are critical, they should not have been removed from the counseling center. I want to know why," Governor Kaine added.

Dr. Samaha says there's no question that was wrong. "I imagine there's going to be some disciplinary action. I have no idea what would be appropriate," she said. But she added any action, or new information, will help her family move forward.

Governor Kaine said he has talked to Cho's family and is calling for the medical records to be made public.

  CLICK HERE to view the families' statement.