Five dead in NIU shooting [N. Illinois University - Update: Six Dead ]

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There are five fatalities in the shooting at NIU, authorities said.

A man opened fire with a shotgun and a handgun Thursday afternoon in a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, wounding at least 18 people before apparently killing himself, authorities said.

Agents with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting local authorities at the scene, spokesman Thomas Ahern said.
chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-niu-gunman_webfeb15,0,1760508.story

Update: Six dead now.
 
We get DeKalb radio. At the press conference, it was reported that 16 were shot, with 4 airlifted from Kishwaukee Hospital (a very, very small hospital without a trauma unit) to St. Anthony’s in Rockford. The gunman shot himself. The campus is closed and all student residents who live in the Chicago suburbs are urged to pack up and go home until at least Tuesday.

More info:

http://www.kishhospital.org/
http://www.niu.edu/index.shtml
 
Don’t worry-God’s there. But so are evil and demented people. Roanoke
 
I agree with Roanoke, Namesake. We can’t always understand His reasons, but God sometimes allows evil & bad things to happen. Evil exists, so I think one reason He sometimes allows things like this is to allow us to realize evil is real. It can be a reminder to be on our guard against evil souls. Events like this draw people closer to God. God IS in charge, though. He was with those victims every second. He is with all of us, ready to rush in & help us, even at the moment of our deaths.
 
my sister’s alma mater and employer, to late to call so I will just pray until I can talk to her. the anger, pain and angst underlying these shooters, so many in the last couple of weeks, is crying out to heaven.
 
Both of my children went to school at NIU and still live in the area. Sort of brings it close to home. Roanoker
 
puzzleannie & roanoker, this must be a terrible shock to you guys when it does hit so close to home. I will say a prayer for your sister.
 
Yes, this is very close to home. My niece and my H’s 2 sisters went there. (our daughter went to another IL U) I have made several trips to Northern to drop off my niece (pick her up etc) when she went there. There is no logic to this thing. This guy (according to reports) went to U of I in Champaign, IL From reports he was very well liked and revered by students and faculty alike. Very good student. He went off his meds recently (didn’t say what kind) and had been acting erratic. But why would he travel up to DeKalb to do this? The impression I got when reading the article was that they had no clue as to the “why” of anything at this point. To the authorities, nothing made sense. The only thing making sense to me at this point is the escalation of evil. Seeing it every day more and more. Please pray for these kids and their families. Pray for all of them.
 
These people who carry out these shootings seem to have at least one thing in common- almost all of the people who did them had been on anti-depressants, and had stopped taking them suddenly. Bad things happen when your brain chemistry is changed suddenly. To me, it seems depression is more of a problem with society than with individuals. Our society requires that we do many things that we aren’t designed to do. Our diets are improperly balanced- and many of the foods we eat are unnatural, we don’t get enough sleep (at the proper times), we don’t get nearly enough exercize, we have to endure a significant amount of stress through our jobs and personal lives, and American culture tells us we have to work as hard as we can- as much as we can- and we must always lock our problems up deep inside ourselves. Pills don’t solve these kinds of problems.

If you’re taking antidepressants, you read this, and feel inspired to go off of them, please don’t without talking to someone you know in person, who knows you well, and can make sure you go off slowly and safely. I’m not speaking on this as a professional. I’m speaking on this as one who has been (unnecessarily) on anti-depressants before, who has gone off of them suddenly, and has lived the consequences. Thankfully, I didn’t hurt anyone or do anything illegal- although I did do things that alienated me from people I deeply care about.
 
and American culture tells us we have to work as hard as we can- as much as we can- and we must always lock our problems up deep inside ourselves. Pills don’t solve these kinds of problems.
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confession is the best anti-depressive and it’s free. when we go against God’s law, we generally get depressed. instead of critically looking at ourselves when we feel depressed to our selfishness and sinful habits, our culture in its materialism and hedonism turns to drugs. i bet 80% of people today on anti-depressives don’t need to be on them. some do though.

being periodically depressed is part of the human experience. life is a trial and a test. we’re not supposed to be happy all the time. we all have to take our cross and enter into the dark night. make no mistake, the devil is looking to devour people through depression. he’s the accuser.
 
This is a terrible tragedy. I am praying for these souls.

If you can believe it, the state of Oregon is still convinced that the campus police at the universities here do not need to be armed.

In Christ,
Rand
 
Dee_Dee_King said:
confession is the best anti-depressive and it’s free. when we go against God’s law, we generally get depressed. instead of critically looking at ourselves when we feel depressed to our selfishness and sinful habits, our culture in its materialism and hedonism turns to drugs. i bet 80% of people today on anti-depressives don’t need to be on them. some do though.

being periodically depressed is part of the human experience. life is a trial and a test. we’re not supposed to be happy all the time. we all have to take our cross and enter into the dark night. make no mistake, the devil is looking to devour people through depression. he’s the accuser.
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If it’s a choice between going on drugs, and killing yourself because of depression, the drugs may be a necessary evil- not everyone can change their life situations and/or get counseling to help them cope with things. Sometimes a person on drugs is the only safe version of them. Being periodically depressed is certainly part of the human experience- we have a center in our brain that is specifically designed to cause depression when the need for it arises. When our legitimate physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs are not being met, the depression center in our brain kicks in to motivate us to meet those needs. Unfortunately, we often put ourselves in situations where some of our needs are not met and can’t- or don’t want to- avoid those situations, so we turn to drugs for answers.

I was on antidepressants for years growing up. To tell the truth, I was never “clinically depressed”. My depression wasn’t clinical depression- it was a result of an unstable life. The more I look back on my childhood and adolescent years, the more convinced I am of this. Starting around age 16 or so, I started to understand this- I started questioning the use of those drugs. I finally got rid of the anti-depressants for good about 6 years ago. Next to joining the Church, it was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.
 
I have heard on the news that the student body wants to solve this problem by carrying their own guns for personal safety…is this true?
 
Shoshana said:
I have heard on the news that the student body wants to solve this problem by carrying their own guns for personal safety…is this true?
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That is an ongoing debate at many places around the country. Not just students, but faculty are also talking about this. I don’t know what will happen with it, though, or if NIU is one of the places talking about it. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are, especially after this shooting.

In Christ,
Rand
 
It was a very tense hour for us until we reached our son.All cell towers were jammed. He attends NIU and was in the bldg directly across the street of Coles Lecture hall when the shooting was taking place. 10 min.after the shootings occurred, classes were being dismissed and our son was to have a class in the same bldg at 4pm.

He is home now recovering from the aftermath. School is closed until the 25th. One thing, the university and the Kishwaukee Hospital have handled this whole event with great professionalism and compassion and never hesitated to get out there to keep parents and student abreast of all the breaking news. For this we are grateful. Most especially to God for sparing our son from any harm. Please continue to join us as we pray for the entire NIU family,especially the victims and their families as we all learn to cope with this senseless violence. www.niu.edu
 
stbruno said:
It was a very tense hour for us until we reached our son.All cell towers were jammed. He attends NIU and was in the bldg directly across the street of Coles Lecture hall when the shooting was taking place. 10 min.after the shootings occurred, classes were being dismissed and our son was to have a class in the same bldg at 4pm.

He is home now recovering from the aftermath. School is closed until the 25th. One thing, the university and the Kishwaukee Hospital have handled this whole event with great professionalism and compassion and never hesitated to get out there to keep parents and student abreast of all the breaking news. For this we are grateful. Most especially to God for sparing our son from any harm. Please continue to join us as we pray for the entire NIU family,especially the victims and their families as we all learn to cope with this senseless violence. www.niu.edu
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stbruno, I am so thankful that your son is OK. I am so sorry that he & your family went through what must have been a horrible ordeal. I will thank God for your son & continue to pray for the students & their families.
 
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