Leah Braun, one of the many students that gathered in front of the TV in Waring commons to watch news coverage of the shootings at Virginia Tech, said one of her best friends attends the college.

"I found what happened at around 1 [p.m.]," she said. "I heard from [my friend's] family that they spoke to her and that she is safe."

Braun (freshman- communications) was visibly shaken and said that "the whole situation is just really scary."

An unknown gunman at Virginia Tech shot and killed 30 people, in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history earlier today, according to the Associated Press.

The gunman was also killed, but it was unclear whether he took his own life, the Associated Press reported.

"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions,'' Virginia Tech President Charles Steger told the Associated Press. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified.''

The university reported shootings at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a co-ed residence hall that houses 895 people, and continuing about two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building, the Associated Press reported.

Virginia Tech freshman Libbi Rettew, of Malvern, said she didn't know what had happened until she returned to her dorm after a two-hour lockdown. She said the campus was "totally dead." "There's usually people driving, walking around," she said.

Most Penn State students said they found out about the shootings in the early afternoon hours. By 2:15 p.m., dozens of students had gathered in front of the TV in Waring commons watching news coverage of the shootings. Most wore expressions of sadness and disbelief.

John Degan (sophomore- professional golf management) stood in the group that gathered said that he knew a few people who attended Virginia Tech and that he was able to directly speak to one of them.

"He said he was coming out of his dorm and told to go back inside," Degan said. "He told me they are pretty much in lock down right now and they were told to stay away from windows."

Degan said that his friend said there were a lot of rumors flying about the identity of the shooter.

"My friend said that it seemed like something out of a movie," Degan said.

Degan said that he couldn't believe a shooting like this could happen.

"It all seems kind of surreal," he said.

Pat Wenger (senior- journalism) said that his professor informed his class about the shootings around 1:30 p.m. and that he stopped to find out more information from the newscast in Waring Commons.

"It's crazy that stuff like this can happen out of the blue, especially at a college campus," he said.

One student was killed in a dorm and others were killed in the classroom, Virginia Tech Police Chief W.R. Flinchum told the Associated Press.

The name of the gunman was not released. It was not known if he was a student.

The Associated Press reported that the university set up a meeting place for families to reunite with their children at the Inn at Virginia Tech. It also made counselors available and planned a convocation for Tuesday at the Cassell Coliseum basketball arena.

Police told the Associated Press there had been bomb threats on campus over the past two weeks by authorities but said they have not determined a link to the shootings.

Marisa Smith (freshman- communications) said that her and Braun were wondering if security at Penn State would be increased due to the shootings at Virginia Tech.

"Most people would probably never think something like this could happen here," she said. "I think they might step up security on campus anyway."

Wenger said that he thinks Penn State may contemplate extra-precautions, but that it may not be able to prevent a random act of violence.

"There is nothing anyone can really do to prevent something like this from happening," he said. "It is pretty rare that something this serious happens."

Despite the day's events, Rettew said she still feels rather safe on Virginia Tech's campus.

"We're out in the cornfields, and this just doesn't happen. Teachers who have been here for 20, 30 years said this has never happened," she said. "[This is] one kid who went off the edge."