Timeline of shootings at Va. Tech emerges

The bloodbath lasted nine minutes -- enough time for Seung-hui Cho to unleash 170 rounds from his two pistols.

During that time, Virginia Tech and Blacksburg police spent three minutes dashing across campus to the scene. Then they began the process of assembling a team, clearing the area and trying to break through the doors, which took another five minutes.

Seconds later, after they blasted through the chained doors with shotguns, Cho put a bullet through his head and died in a classroom alongside many of his 32 victims. Two others were shot earlier in a dorm.

A timeline of the rampage emerged Wednesday as police provided new details about what they had uncovered in the 10 days since Cho committed the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The five minutes police spent breaking into Norris Hall proved to be crucial. During that time, Cho picked off his victims.

State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller praised the officers’ response time, noting that had police simply rushed into the building without a plan, many would have likely died along with the staff and students.

“If you go in with your backs turned, you’re never going back,” Geller said. “There’s gotta be some sort of organization.”