Apr 17, 2007, 12:30 GMT
Britain's Queen Elizabeth is said to be "shocked and saddened" by the Virginia college campus killings, which left 33 people dead yesterday (16.04.07).
The queen and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, are due to make a two-day visit to Virginia in May as part of their first official tour of the US in 16 years.
The royal couple will visit the state on May 3 and 4 to mark the 400th anniversary of the English settlement at Jamestown.
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett also extended her condolences to the families of the murdered students.
Speaking at the United Nations in New York, she said: "Can I first say how appalled everyone is by the terrible news from Virginia.
"Our deepest sympathy and our condolences of course go to that community and to all of those whose families are directly affected."
The massacre took place early on Monday morning at Blacksburg's Virginia Tech university.
The gunman - armed with what has been described as an "ungodly amount" of ammunition - is believed to have visited his girlfriend at her halls of residence and found her with another man.
During two separate rampages - just two hours apart - he shot 32 people and injured 29 others, before turning the gun on himself.
The incident has claimed more lives than any other US school shooting tragedy.
(C) BANG Media International
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