Campus Alert Update ARCHIVE5 p.m. CST
A letter to the campus community from President Peters
A special message to parents from President Peters
Public parking information for Sunday evening's memorial service
11:20 a.m. CST
Updates have been made to the classroom reassignment list. Students are encouraged to recheck the list to get the most recent information.
9:10 a.m. CST
The Associated Press will provide an advisory to its members regarding media credentialing for Sunday's Memorial Service.
4:24 p.m. CST
Classroom reassignments for the remainder of spring semester are now posted.
Many classes were reassigned to new classrooms in order to make room for the closure of Cole Hall. Check here for a complete listing.
10:45 a.m. CST
Northern Illinois University Police Chief Donald Grady will conduct a press conference at 3 p.m. today in the Altgeld Hall auditorium. Grady will update the investigation into the Feb. 14 campus shootings.
3:25 p.m. CST
Five Minutes of Silence Planned for Thursday
The university and surrounding community will observe five minutes of silence on Thursday at 3:06 p.m.
NIU President John Peters will make brief remarks at 3 p.m. in the MLK Commons.
Bells at the Holmes Student Center and at churches in the surrounding community will chime until 3:11 p.m. — one minute for each of the students killed in the shooting.
NIU to host memorial service Sunday
2 p.m. CST
Update on Sunday's Memorial Service
Expecting that the Convocation Center capacity might be exceeded, overflow closed circuit television viewing locations will be provided on campus at the Barsema Alumni & Visitors Center, the Campus Recreation Center and the Holmes Student Center.
Complete information on media credentialing for the event will be posted here on Wednesday.
2:25 p.m. CST
Sunday's memorial service at the Convocation Center will begin at 7 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m.
5:15 p.m.
Message from President Peters Regarding Campus Reopening Schedule
2:36 p.m.
There will be a press briefing at 4:30pm CST in the Altgeld Hall Auditorium.
1:13 p.m.
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will hold a news conference in NIU's Altgeld Hall Auditorium today at 1:30 p.m.
10:10 a.m.
NIU officials have confirmed the names of the following students killed in the shooting:
Daniel Parmenter, age 20, last of Westchester, Ill.
Catalina Garcia, age 20, last of Cicero, Ill.
Ryanne Mace, age 19, last of Carpentersville, Ill.
Julianna Gehant (pronounced Ghee-hant), age 32, last of Mendota, Ill.
Gayle Dubowski, age 20, last of Carol Stream, Ill.
10 a.m
NIU officials have confirmed that the gunman has been identified as Steven Kazmierczak, age 27, of Champaign.
Also, to clarify information posted yesterday, there were a total of six fatalities, including the gunman.
List of public officials speaking at the 9:30 a.m. press conference:
DeKalb Police Department
Chief Bill FiethenDeKalb Police Department
Fire Chief Lanny RussellATF
Supervisory Special Agent Kevin Cronin
Assistant Special Agent In Charge Dana NicholsNIU Police Department
Chief of Police Donald GradyFBI
Assistant Special Agent In Charge William MonroeIllinois State Police
Commander Leonard StallworthDeKalb County Sheriff Office
Sheriff Roger ScottDeKalb Corner
Coroner Dennis MillerSycamore Police Department
Chief Don ThomasNIU Officials
Cherilyn Murer, Chair of NIU Board of Trustees
John Peters, President
Melanie Margara, Assistant Vice President Public Affairs
Eddie Williams, Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations
Raymond Alden III, Executive Vice President and Provost
Brian Hemphill, Vice President for Student Affairs
8:55 p.m.
NIU can confirm six fatalities, including the gunman. Four of the dead were female and two, including the gunman, were male. In total, there were 22 injured or killed.
NIU can confirm that the shooter was an NIU graduate student in sociology in the Spring of 2007 but was not currently enrolled.
At a press conference held on NIU's campus Thursday evening, NIU President John Peters said, "Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families. We thank the community for the outpouring of sympathy during this terrible time of tragedy."
Peters urged students to remain calm and seek counseling. "We've asked them to reach out to each other during this difficult time, and they've done that, and I'm proud of them."
The NIU Department of Public Safety is asking that any individuals who witnessed the Feb. 14 shooting, or who believe they have any information related to the shooting, call the University Tip Line at (815) 753-TIPS. Police will return calls as soon as possible.
The FBI is processing the crime scene and the investigation is being aided by the Illinois State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, the State Crisis Management Team, the City of DeKalb Police, City of Sycamore Police, DeKalb County Sheriff's Department, the Ben Gordon Center and the DeKalb, Sycamore and Cortland Fire Departments, as well as FEMA.
6:50 p.m.
At approximately 3 p.m. Thursday, February 14, 2008, a gunman, carrying one shotgun and two handguns, opened fire in Cole Hall on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.
NIU Police officers were on the scene in less than two minutes and the gunman was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound a short time later. Police have not released the identity of the gunman. At this time, there is no known motive.
Eighteen students were transported to Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb.
Another press briefing will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Altgeld Hall Auditorium.
5:43 p.m.
NIU officials have provided the following information about the victims of the shooting:
18 victims were transported to Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb:
5:20 p.m.
Many of the shooting victims have been transported to Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb.
5:12 p.m.
Police are confirming that the shooter is dead by a self-inflicted gunshot.
A press conference will be held in the Altgeld Hall Auditorium at 5:30 p.m.
4:39 p.m.
A media staging area is available in the auditorium of Altgeld Hall (castle building on east side of campus).
4:31 p.m.
All NIU students are asked to call their parents as soon as possible.
4:24 p.m.
Campus police reiterate that an immediate danger has passed. Students should return to their residence halls and stay there. All classes are cancelled and all NIU campuses are closed for tonight and tomorrow (2/15/08).
4:14 p.m.
Campus police report that the immediate danger has passed. The gunman is no longer a threat. The DeKalb campus is closed tomorrow. All NIU classes are cancelled and campuses are closed for tonight and tomorrow. Students can go to any residence hall for counseling.
4:10 p.m.
Campus police report that the scene is secure. Only essential personnel should remain on campus.
The following hotlines are available for students & parents.
Counseling is also available on campus for students at the Neptune Dining Hall, Campus Life Building 100 and the Psychological Services Center in the Psychology/Computer Science Building. Students may go to any residence hall for counseling.
3:50 p.m.
It has been confirmed that there has been a shooting on campus and several people have been taken away by ambulance. All NIU campuses are closed and classes are cancelled for tonight and tomorrow (2/15/08) on the DeKalb campus. People are urged not to come to campus. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
3:40 p.m.
All classes on the DeKalb campus are cancelled for tonight. All NIU campuses are closed and all classes are cancelled for tonight and tomorrow (2/15/08).
3:20 p.m.
There has been a report of a possible gunman on campus. Get to a safe area and take precautions until given the all clear. Avoid the King Commons and all buildings in that vicinity.