I can see where administrators would see that as a prank that doesnt endanger the dorm residents. It wouldnt be considered arson, would it?
But setting fire to a dorm room is different. And in Virginia, setting fire to a public building is a felony. If the school brass had reported it to the police, Cho would not have been able to buy a gun (legally). You can argue that he could have found one illegally, but that might not have been so easy for a guy who didnt talk.
We generally consider it a prank, but if one of those fireworks sets off the sprinkler system, and they have before by jumping around and getting too close to the sprinkler head, then all of the sprinklers from that floor down are set off. It’s a great system and works like its supposed to: by flooding each room, which destroys everyone’s books and electronics.
But I can see where the situation’s different. The first case of a fire in a dorm room is malice, the second case is stupidity. But after being an RA and stuff, I now just how hard it can be to kick people out of Housing, let alone the university. Thankfully, mine DOES kick people out, but even so it’s rather difficult.