Balloons, bells honor the Virginia Tech victims

Story Highlights

• NEW: Campus worker sees sadness, sorrow, silence
• Funerals held for some of the 32 people killed last Monday
• Victims of shooting rampage remembered in two campus ceremonies
• Classes resumed Monday at Virginia Tech for first time since attack

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BLACKSBURG, Virginia (CNN) -- A bell tolled every 22 seconds, silence lasted for 10 minutes and then a thousand balloons filled the sky Monday over the Virginia Tech campus as the university remembered the 32 victims of last Monday's shooting rampage.

Thirty-two white balloons were released, followed by 1,000 balloons in school colors symbolizing Hokie, the school mascot, spirit and unity.

Shuttle bus driver Tina Grimshaw, describing the atmosphere on campus, said she's seeing, "a lot of sadness, a lot of sorrow, a lot of silence."

The bell ceremony -- which began at 9:45 a.m. -- was the second on the Blacksburg campus Monday morning. (Watch crowds hear the bell toll for those killed in the massacre )

About a hundred people attended a 7:15 a.m. memorial service around the West Ambler Johnston dormitory for Ryan Clark and Emily Hilscher, the first two victims of last week's shootings. (Gallery: Return to campus)

About two hours after they were killed April 16, an additional 30 students and faculty died in a rampage in the university's engineering building at the hand of gunman Seung-Hui Cho, police said. Investigators have not definitively linked Cho to the shootings that killed Clark and Hilscher, although ballistics evidence shows one gun was used in both shootings.

As students returned to classes, an increased police presence was visible on campus although not overly dramatic. David Patton, who was friends with two victims, told The Associated Press what was going through his mind.

"I've been back with my friends, but I don't know how it's going to feel, seeing the empty seats in the classroom, noticing the people who aren't here anymore," the 19 year-old freshman told AP. "I'm wondering where they are now, if they are in heaven, and when I'll see them again."

Arm bands worn by mental health professionals and volunteers asked "May I help" as students filtered back into classrooms. (Watch professor and students discuss returning to class after the tragedy )

Mental health professionals wore purple arm bands while volunteer faculty, staff and students wore yellow ones, as members of the campus community leaned on each other for support.

Loved ones held funerals Monday for some of those killed in the attacks.

Services were held for Matthew La Porte at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Haworth, New Jersey, and for Matthew Gregory Gwaltney at Southside Church of the Nazarene in Chesterfield, Virginia. (Read more about how Gwaltney was planning to start a new job soon)

The funeral for Ryan Clark was scheduled for Monday at noon at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia. (Read more about how Clark was planning to pursue a degree in psychology)

As students drifted back onto campus Sunday, Virginia Tech freshman Nakasha Norwood said, "I was very nervous about coming back into this dorm just because of what happened. I know that I'll probably be thinking about it a lot and it makes me nervous, but I think I'll be okay."

Maureen Maldonaldo, the mother of a student, said, "I think it's taken away a lot of the innocence and the sense of peace and security, but I think they'll regain that."

Patrick Strollo, whose sister Hilary was shot and is recovering in the hospital, said his family had been buoyed by the universal outpouring of support and said his sister's recovery would be impossible without it.

Poet and Virginia Tech teacher Nikki Giovanni expressed her "absolute confidence in (Virginia Tech) President Charles Steger in doing what needs to be done" regarding security and the shooting's aftermath.

Virginia Tech students are being given the option of not returning for the remainder of this term and taking their present grades. There are no official numbers on how many are returning and how many have chosen not to.

As some students get ready to hit the books again, investigators were hitting the Internet. They were searching eBay records to see if Cho is the Blacksburg, Virginia, buyer who, in the past few months bought empty ammunition magazines matching the type of gun used in the shooting.

EBay issued a statement Sunday correcting some media reports that Cho had purchased ammunition on its site.

"To be perfectly clear, guns and ammunition are not permitted on eBay. Mr. Cho did not purchase guns or ammunition on our site."

EBay officials said they could "confirm that in particular, Mr. Cho purchased empty ammunition clips and a gun holster." These unregulated items that can be legally bought and sold on eBay as well as in retail stores across the United States, the statement said.

"However, we are saddened that Mr. Cho purchased on eBay any item that may be linked with his actions last week," it concluded.

A Senate Homeland Security committee takes up campus safety Monday. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the committee wants to get best practices for security preparation and disseminate them to U.S. campuses. She said she does not see the topic of the hearings as a "gun-control issue, one way or the other."

CNN's Brianna Keilar and Gary Tuchman contributed to this report.

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