FEB 14 2008 DEKALB IL — A skinny, white male wearing a beanie cap and a black trench coat and wielding a handgun (second handgun found later) and a shotgun walked into a geography class at Cole Hall at Northern Illinois University’s DeKalb campus and shot 22 people — some to the head — before shooting and killing himself.
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The first call for help came between 3:00 and 3:20 p.m. A fifth alarm EMS box alarm was called for the shooting with staging of paramedics at the Neptune Central Residence Complex. Police responded within 2 minutes.
The shooter came from the front of the classroom from behind a black curtain where the instructor was standing. 150 people were in the lecture hall at the time of the shootings. The threat was declared over at 4:10 p.m.
Originally 18 injured people reported (UPDATED TO 5 KILLED + GUNMAN = 6 DEAD):
4 critical injuries — three with head wounds in grave condition, one chest injury
8 victims in serious condition
6 minor injuries
Kishwaukee Community Hospital reported on its Web site it received 13 victims — three to four had head wounds. Follows is notice posted at 5:26 p.m.
Due to an incident at Northern Illinois University, we will be using this
Web site to update you as often as possible.
The most recent update was made at 5:26 p.m. on Thursday 2/14
17 patients have arrived.
3 – critical condition
1 of the 3 flown out to Saint Anthony Hospital in Rockford
8 – stable
6 – good condition
No reported fatalities
We don’t expect to transfer any further patients.
More details will be available shortly.
For further information, please visit this site again and be sure to “refresh”
your browser. You also may call (815) 756-1521 x153737
One victim was airlifted to OSF St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.
Witnesses heard 20-30 shots. Witnesses reported a girl shot in the eye and a man shot in the leg.
The NIU campus was closed in December 2007 for one day after a threat that described an event similar to Virginia Tech.
Gunman is reported to be “NOT a current student” at Northern Illinois University. The gunman shot and killed the professor first. The gunman then shot into the rows of the lecture hall at random. The gunman emptied the handgun first. Then shot the shotgun, then reloaded. He committed suicide on the stage of the lecture hall.
More info …
Kishwaukee Community Hospital
OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center
Classes canceled tonight and tomorrow. NIU has posted the following hotlines available for students & parents along with a full safety alert:
815-753-1573
815-753-6143
815-753-1574
815-753-1575
815-753-9564
815-753-6257