Updated: CNN airs Virginia Tech gunfire audio

Footage and audio provided by a citizen journalist formed a major part of CNN's coverage of today's shootings at Virginia Tech.

Numerous gunshots were heard during the "i-Report" captured by Virginia Tech student Jamal Albarghouti using his mobile phone. He was located outside the building where many of the shootings took place.

CNN started airing the video before the magnitude of the tragedy had become clear. First reports indicated a single fatality; the footage, along with the audio of multiple gunshots, was re-aired as it emerged that the total number of fatalities was 22. That figure was later revised upwards to at least 30.

Anchors on CNN's Newsroom programme aired the "i-Report" without speaking over it; instead, the channel carried an unsettling juxtaposition of gunshot audio and a lower-third graphic detailing the fatality count.

It is understood that the i-Report video was viewed over 100,000 times shortly after it was uploaded to CNN's website; by 15:15 ET, CNN reported that number had increased to 900,000 views.