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The massacre seems like a world away but for Harbor Beach graduate Deric Learman it literally happened in his backyard - only 200-yards away from where he was sitting in class at Virginia Tech.

"This incident isn't exactly making people more cautious," he said. "But the amount of this randomness really affects you."

Learman gives an analysis of the incident and how it could happen anywhere.

"This student didn't walk in with an assault rifle...he walked in the building with a handgun, something anyone could buy."

Learman said in our society we choose to have guns and that comes with risks:

"It seems as a society we have accepted the risk of this incident," he explained. "I'm not saying we accept what happened...what I'm saying is this incident happened and we're trying to understand it."

"It's more of a deeper fundamental issue we're all dealing with."

The building, Norris Hall, where Cho took the lives of 28 students remains but according to Learman it's not the same.

"The building is still there and I think people take notice of it more," he said.

Learman said he doesn't see a major difference in the atmosphere around the campus.

"The difference I see is a more emotional state than a physical one."

"The simple solution is an ideal...it's for everyone to get along and incidents like this would never take place," he adds.

Blacksburg is about the size of Mount Pleasant and Learman said he would encourage anyone to attend class there.

"I would tell my nephews to come here...it's still a great school," he said. "Something bad just happened here...you can't change that."