Gunman Opens Fire at Northern Illinois University
A gunman opened fire in a building on the campus of Northern Illinois University this afternoon, and several people were taken away by ambulance, the university announced.
The school later reported that “the immediate danger has passed” and that “the gunman is no longer a threat.” It said the campus will be closed tomorrow and that students could go to residence halls for counseling.
Theresa Komitas, a spokeswoman for Kishwaukee Community Hospital said that “we have confirmed that we have four in the building with head wounds and we expect up to 15 patients related to the shooting. We don’t have any conditions to report.”
Cable television news networks reported that 15 to 18 people had been wounded in the shooting.
A student newspaper reported on its Web site that the gunman was killed. It said he had been armed with a shotgun and had wounded at least five students.
“The gunman is deceased,” the Northern Star quoted Lt. Gary Spangler of the DeKalb Police Department as saying.
Komitas said her facility is the closest hospital to the shooting and that victims are expected to be sent there first before being transferred elsewhere if necessary.
“We’ve called all the staff in,” she said. Komitas said the hospital would keep the public updated on the number of injured and their conditions via its Web site.
The university, which has a student enrollment of more than 25,000 and is located in DeKalb, about 65 miles west of Chicago, canceled all classes and urged people to stay away from campus.
An initial report on the university’s Web site at 3:20 p.m. Central time cited a “report of a possible gunman on campus” and instructed students and faculty to “get to a safe area.” It said people should avoid the King Commons and buildings in that area.
The university’s main campus in DeKalb covers 755 acres.
In April of last year, a student with a history of mental problems killed 32 people in a shooting rampage at Virginia Tech before taking his own life, the worst rampage in U.S. history. A review by a state-appointed panel after the shooting criticized Virginia Tech administrators for failing to take quicker action in shutting down the campus, saying it might have reduced casualties.
read more about the Northern Illinois University Shooting
Related posts
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment