NORFOLK, Va. —
If you happen to find yourself on the grounds of a Virginia state building Tuesday, you may have noticed flags were being flown at half-staff.
On Monday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued a flag order in remembrance of the anniversary of the Virginia Tech school shooting.
The 2007 shooting killed 27 students and five faculty members and was considered the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history at the time.
The governor’s order authorizes that U.S. and Virginia state flags be flown at half-staff on all state and local buildings and grounds starting from sunrise on Tuesday until sunset.
On the anniversary of the tragedy, the university shared a social media post honoring the lives lost.
“Today, we’re honoring the lives of the 32 Hokies who were tragically taken from their loved ones and the Virginia Tech community on April 16, 2007," the university wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “On the 2024 Day of Remembrance, we reflect on the tremendous promise each of them embodied for our world. #VTWeRemember.”
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, who was governor at the time of the shooting, also shared his condolences on social media, calling the shooting, “It was the worst day of my life. We must honor the lives lost by working together to keep our communities safe.”
What’s the difference between half-staff and half-mast?
While the two terms — half-staff and half-mast — are interchangeable there are some technical differences between the terms.
According to the Navy, on a ship, the pole on which the flag flies is called a mast; while on land, the pole is referred to as a staff whether it is coming out of the ground or attached to a building.
When are flags flown at half-staff?
American flags are flown at half-staff or half-mast when the country or state is in mourning.
Flag orders can be issued by government officials such as the president or a state governor. The flag flying from that position signifies one of these three observances: the death of a government official, military member, or emergency first responder; a national tragedy, or Memorial Day or another National Day of Remembrance.