BOSTON -- A 20-year-old man from Saugus was among the 33 victims killed in Monday's shooting rampage on the campus of Virginia Tech.
Ross Alameddine was killed in the classroom building where a Virginia Tech senior from South Korea opened fire, according to Robert Palumbo, a family friend who answered the phone at the Alameddine residence Tuesday morning.
Alameddine's mother, Lynnette Alameddine, said she was outraged by how victims' relatives were notified of the shooting.
"It happened in the morning and I did not hear (about her son's death) until a quarter to 11 at night," she said. "That was outrageous. Two kids died, and then they shoot a whole bunch of them, including my son."
The Boston Herald reported that Alameddine was shot while attending a morning French class at the Blacksburg, Va., school. Alameddine, a graduate of Austin Preparatory School in Reading, was a sophomore who just declared English as his major, the paper reported.
"Ross Alameddine was a bright and engaged student and a truly fine young man," Austin's headmaster Paul J. Moran said in a written statement. "Our prayers and deepest sympathy go out, especially to the Alameddine family, but also to all of the families of the victims of this senseless act."
Friends created a memorial page on Facebook.com that described Alameddine as "an intelligent, funny, easy going guy."
"You're such an amazing kid, Ross," wrote Zach Allen, who also attended Austin, according to his profile. "You always made me smile, and you always knew the right thing to do or say to cheer anyone up."
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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