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Kaine's decision on panel angers families

A couple sits under a tree on the first day of classes since, Cho Seung-Hui, a student at Virginia Tech, went on a shooting spree and killed 32, on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia on April 23, 2007. (UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch)
1 of 3 | A couple sits under a tree on the first day of classes since, Cho Seung-Hui, a student at Virginia Tech, went on a shooting spree and killed 32, on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia on April 23, 2007. (UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch) | License Photo

RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Survivors of people killed or wounded in the Virginia Tech massacre say they are angry that Gov. Tim Kaine declined to reopen an investigation of the shooting.

Sixty-five family members of victims signed a statement asking Kaine to reconvene the panel that looked into the April 2007 massacre, saying its report contains "grave errors, misinformation and glaring omissions." The statement followed news that mental health records of the shooter, Seung-Hui Cho, had surfaced, after the university said the records had been lost or destroyed, The Washington Post reported Monday.

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"While we would not rule out inviting willing members of the panel to review proposed revisions to the report, we are sensitive that there are families who expressly do not want to reconvene the panel," Kaine adviser Mark Rubin wrote to the families in an e-mail. "Our hope is that the current process for revisions will satisfy the need for a thorough report without upsetting families like your own any further."

Cho's medical records would be part of that report but some family members said they were unhappy with the governor's decision.

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"This report needs to be as accurate as possible so we can learn from this tragedy and honor the people who were killed or injured," said Suzanne Grimes, whose son, Kevin, was shot but survived.

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