A U.S. Department of Education draft report regarding the 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech has declared that the university broke federal law by not warning students to the dangerous situation before they did. This report could help the two $10 million wrongful death lawsuits that have been filed in relation to the shootings. The families of Julia Pryde and Erin Peterson claim that Virginia tech was negligent in warning students and faculty of the potential danger on campus the day of April 16.

The Department of Education believes that the school violated the federal Clery Act when they waited two hours after the first murder was discovered before notifying those on campus that a shooter could be on the loose. That day, student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students and professors and injured many more. The school claims in its own report that they had an appropriate response to the initial shooting.