[JURIST] Twenty-one families who said that they intended to sue the state of Virginia for negligence in connection with the April 16, 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech [JURIST news archive] have agreed to a tentative settlement worth $11 million, lawyers representing the families said Thursday. Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine [official website] said that the details of the settlement would remain confidential [press release] until it is finalized over the next few days. It is currently unclear how the $11 million will be distributed amongst the families.

The Virginia Tech massacre left 33 people dead and 25 wounded in the largest shooting spree in US history [MSNBC backgrounder]. Last year, Kaine issued an executive order [text; JURIST report] closing the loophole [JURIST report] that allowed ]gunman Seung-Hui Cho to purchase a firearm despite having been ordered to receive psychiatric treatment by a Virginia court in 2005. AP has more.