There was the Columbine shootings in 1999.
Some will remember the shootings from the bell tower on the University of Texas back in 1966.
Now there is the massacre at Virginia Tech, which will go down as the deadliest school shooting in America.
And with these tragedies come condolences. While speaking at the Holiday Inn at The University of Memphis, Senator John McCain said he had heartfelt sorrow for the tragedy in Virginia.
Besides the memories and sorrow, it also raises questions about the safety of The University of Memphis campus.
"I do feel it's safe," said Rance Odom, junior graphic design major. "But I have been hearing lots about reports of crime in the area. But I still think that it is safe."
Senior biology major Emily Barker had the same opinion as Odom about the campus being safe.
"I think our campus is really safe," she said. "I've walked from the library to my car at night and have felt safe."
Even though a shooting of the magnitude of the one at Virginia Tech has not happened at The U of M, that does not mean it could not happen, said Dewayne Howard.
"I think it's just one of those things that happens," the senior computer engineering technology major said. "When you start to think that you are in a safe place - something happens."
Officials do not yet know why the gunman opened up fire across the Virginia Tech campus, but reports have said there was a victim in a co-ed dormitory.
There are two dormitories that are co-ed - Richardson Towers and Carpenter Complex - at The U of M.
Barker, who was a former resident in Richardson Towers, said that it is almost impossible to get someone who is the opposite sex onto the other gender's side.
"It's hard to sneak guys into the girls' side," Barker said. "But if a girl wanted to go on the girls' side and do something like what happened in Virginia, it wouldn't be that hard."
An important thing to do in a situation like at Virginia Tech is making sure everyone knows what is taking place, said Rosie Bingham, the vice president of Student Affairs.
"The most important thing is to communicate with each other," she said.
According to Bingham, The University would get the information to students in an emergency.
"What we tend to do is to get information out to the students as fast as we can," she said.
The University is also in the midst of planning for various emergencies, with two different levels of emergency management, at The University level and at the crisis level, Bingham said.
While The University has a full time police force and plans for emergencies, things still happen.
"To me, all campuses are the same," Howard said. "You can't have an officer in all places at every time of the day."
