JAIME HOLGUIN and RAY ZABLOCKI take a ride with a Hokie who's a lifelong Blacksburg resident, and PETER HAMLIN and CARYN ROUSSEAU take an interactive look at campus safety.
BLACKSBURG, Va.
VT AND BLACKSBURG: A VIDEO TOUR
THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND CAMPUS SECURITY
Joey Ryder wants you to know that despite the tragic events that unfolded here, his hometown remains one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
"Blacksburg is a great place. It's a place to raise families, a place to retire," says Ryder, a senior studying horticulture at Virginia Tech.
The 24-year-old grew up in this historic town, which was established in 1789 amid scenic vistas and lush green valleys. He comes from a long line of Hokies -- his parents, aunts and uncles are Virginia Tech alums.
The thought of leaving Blacksburg has never entered Ryder's mind. Not even after Monday's bloodbath.
"It hurts me that all this attention has come here for this reason -- for something this bad," he says.
As a town bus driver, Ryder knows Blacksburg's 19.4 square miles like the back of his hand. He led asap down some of those roads -- beginning at the Virginia Tech campus and ending at a mountain pass leading to the Washington-Jefferson National Forest -- to offer a tour of his Blacksburg.
Take a look at the attached video report to go along for the ride.
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CAMPUS SAFETY TECH
Also check out this interactive presentation about the different types of technology used on campuses to keep college students safe.
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asap reporters Jaime Holguin and Ray Zablocki traveled to Blacksburg to cover the town's recovery from the Virginia Tech shootings.
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