There Has Been A Shooting At My College Today!!!

No, there were 22 victims including the deceased. So that means 16 more were injured, and 6 have died including the gunman.

That is terrible.

I hope you will be alright Digitalgrl.

Is this University a "gun free zone"?

Roper

Don't listen to the all online news about this tragedy. I've read anywhere from 16-22 wounded and 1-6 dead. But I did talk to one of the detectives that was on the scene and he did say 6 are confirmed dead, 4 on scene and 2 at the hospital. Cell phones are great and probably played a huge role in the fast emergency response.

[edit on 14-2-2008 by maxweljames]

I am so sorry to hear this about you. I will pray for you.

Keep safe and let us know how you are doing.

Originally posted by Roper

Is this University a "gun free zone"?

Roper

It's been a few years since my wife attended and we moved from DeKalb a year ago so I don't fully remember NIU's policies on guns. However, as far as I'm concerned Illinois tries to be "gun free" One of the more strict states on gun control. It takes a long time to get a license to even buy a gun, then waiting periods on them once you do buy. Not to mention they have no provision for CCW. Things need to change. An armed society is a polite society. Perhaps if a few students or the instructor were carrying, this tragedy would have been avoided, or at least minimized. And this incident will only push lawmakers to tighten them, take away more of our rights.

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you (DigitalGirl) post a thread a few months ago about your school being on lock down because somebody wrote some threats of this nature on a wall or something? I remember replying to a thread like that and I swear it was you. This is crazy. I feel horrible for all of the families of those affected.

Edit*

Here it is:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

and to top it all off, i go to Northern Illinois University. Our whole campus was on lockdown and closed on monday because someone posted something in one of the dorm bathrooms that they were going to shoot up the school. they dont have the person yet....but what they said was pretty discusting.

here is what was written.

"nigg**s go home!" "This semester will end hastily" "the v-tech shooters had it wrong, they only had one shooter" "die cem ber 10th. hlm std cnt. WATCH"
just so you know hlm std cnt refers to the holmes student center....its where alot of students congregate.

Unbelievable........

[edit on 14-2-2008 by Karlhungis]

Good God. I've been in class today from noon to 9pm so I didn't hear of any of this. This is just more proof that America should arm its citizens and allow them to carry guns in public. It's the great equalizer: the 60 year old woman is on the same level as the 25 year old punk. If everyone had guns, things like this wouldn't happen nearly as often, and if it did, the casualties wouldn't be nearly as high. The shooter would be taken down before the body count starts rising

Disgusting.

Horrible.. I will never understand what drives people to do things like this.

I too am a student at NIU Digital. I was in Davis hall when the crap hit the proverbial fan, so I know what you're going through.

It was a grad student in my program teaching the class at the time. He was injured but the NIU president said that he looks like he's recovering. I hope he comes through it ok...

At this point, they have confirmed 6 dead, including the shooter. Four females and one male student where killed when the shooter opened fire on a Geology 105 class. It's a big auditorium, I've had many classes in there. Apparently he came through a door behind the podium and starting shooting into the crowd. They haven't released a motive yet... I wonder what the excuse for muder will be this time.

What a crappy day... I can't imagine what I would have done if I were in that auditorium at the time. It's pretty surreal.

I feel so sorry for the friends and parents that have to go through this now. I wish there was something I could do...

Hang in there Digital.

On the bright side, it's good to see another NIU student on ATS. Glad I'm not the only one.

[edit on 14-2-2008 by SeekerOfAUTMN]

[edit on 14-2-2008 by SeekerOfAUTMN]

Just heard about it right now, I used to go there too... Very sad news indeed it really does make me wonder about the motivation and causes for all these recent college shootings.

I am so sorry to hear of this horrible event! I will be praying for those involved and for the victims still pulling through at the hospitals. My understanding is there are quite a few still in critical condition.

On another note, I decided to pull my children out of public education a few years ago. I home school now and though it is difficult, it is so worth it. I will be sending my eldest daughter to college in a year and a half and I wonder if it is ever going to get any better?

Where did the breakdown in communication happen? Is it at the family level or are these children pulling the trigger just trying to go out more famous than the last? Copycat. It discusts me at how the media plays into this discusting mess and only makes it worse. I wish they would focus only on the victims and praise their lives and not once mention the gunmen. Then possibly the gunmen would realize they are not so cool anymore.

It is a shame, but unless our country repents for it's sins, it will only get worse.

Blessings to all,

Lost...

I don't understand how this happened, It's a Gun FREE Zone Didn't he see the sign?

‘After politicians, you have the problem of journalists and reporters. There are some among them, although unfortunately rare, who try to do their job of disseminating information honestly and sincerely, attending carefully to their sources; but we are greatly alarmed that most of them seek only sensationalism.

‘Your television stations too, screen more and more scenes of violence. If those responsible were obliged to study psychology before being able to undertake such grave responsibilities, a step in the right direction would have been taken. Your reporters seem to seek and even prey on scenes of violence, murder, tragedy and disaster; we are sickened by their behavior.

‘The leaders of a country, the journalists, in fact anyone who, by their position, is able to exert influence on the people, has an enormous responsibility towards millions of people who are no more nor less than his fellow creatures. Too often, even those who have been elected to their positions by the people, forget the obligations they have in this regard -until, that is, a few months prior to a new election, when it occurs to them that the people are dissatisfied and might vote them out.

‘This is not the case with journalists though, as they have not needed to inspire confidence in the people in order to attain their positions; and yet they have a similar power to influence in ways which are good or bad.

‘Indeed, they are capable of doing much good when they alert public attention to danger and injustice - and this should be their main function.

‘To return to the need for such high profile people to understand and apply psychology, I will give you a good example to illustrate what I mean. On TV we see the following report: A young man has just taken a rifle and killed seven people including two women and two young children. The reporter shows the bloodstains and the bodies, adding that the killer had imitated the style of an actor, well known for his violent roles in films. And the result? The murderer is going to be proud of himself - not only has he achieved ‘national notoriety’, he has also been compared with one of the most popular heroes of violent modern films. But, beyond that, another such madman who sees the reports and hears the commentaries of reporters who pay unwarranted attention to this odious crime, will be inspired to seek his own moment of national ‘glory’.

‘Such a person is usually a failure - someone repressed, frustrated, inhibited; someone ignored, who yearns for recognition. He has just seen the report and he knows that all violence is reported, and sometimes exaggerated, by TV reporters and journalists. Perhaps his picture will appear on the front page of all the newspapers - and why not? Then he will go before the courts and perhaps be referred to by a name like ‘Jack the Ripper’ or ‘The Strangler with the Velvet Glove’. No longer will he rank among ordinary mortals. The harm that such irresponsible reporting can do is unimaginable. Thoughtlessness and irresponsibility are not qualities apparent in civilized nations. That’s why I say, on Earth, you have not even achieved the first letter of the word civilization.’

‘So, what is the solution?’

‘Why do you ask such a question? I know that you know the answer to your question. Still, if you insist, you will hear it from my mouth. Journalists, reporters and anyone else whose function it is to disseminate information should devote no more than two to three lines to such cases of murder. They could simply say: ‘we have just learned of the murder of seven people by an irresponsible lunatic. This murder occurred at whatever location and is a sorry event in a country that considers itself to be civilized.’ Full stop’.

‘Those who seek their day or weeks of glory would surely side step murder as a means of attaining it, if their efforts received so little publication in return. Don’t you agree?’

‘What, then, should their reports comprise?’

‘There are so many worthwhile things to s

Seeing the total dead of 4 female victims and 1 male, does anyone know of the genders of the injured? If they are predominately female, then by today being valentines day there is a possible motive right there. It saddens me to hear this news, I live in Memphis where there have been quite a few gun in school incidents in the past few months. The school board chairman is calling for complete suspension of classes until they install metal detectors in every school.

Anyone else notice a rather high number of school shootings this year? Seems kind of freaky to me. My thoughts and prayers are with all of the students of the school.

reply to post by C0le


A completely shallow and pointless statement to make. It's good to see that you are feeling good about yourself and your politics. Why, if it were just a matter of politics, well, then things would be swell all around, now wouldn't it?

Ariok said,

Such a person is usually a failure

Well maybe that's part of the problem? That we label people with words like failure? To me, no one is a failure, all have value, and even the least admired is still not a failure. What IS a failure? A stereotype in a textbook? *puts textbook on slow roasting spit, applies barbecue sauce, liberally* Tata textbook.

[edit on 14-2-2008 by undo]

I am sorry to hear about this.
Yet another horrible, sad tragedy. Good thing, you're ok.
I don't know what else to say...

My heart goes out to the families of the victims.

[edit on 14-2-2008 by AlphA1551]

[edit on 14-2-2008 by AlphA1551]

UPDATE:


A big thank you to all of you for your kind words and prayers. it was so touching to see what a close knit community we have here on ATS. having been a member for over 4 years it really made me thankful to be a member.


so far the campus is closed until further notice.
i am also a registration girl at Saint anthony medical center and 2 students have been airlifted there. i called my boss and told her that i wouldnt be in tomorrow. that is the last place i want to be.

so far there are 22 victims. 6 dead 4 in critical condition at rockford memorial hospital and 2 in critical condition at Saint Anthony hospital as i said before. 18 were sent to kishwaukee hospital.

there is no motive for the killer. i have to say this, as a student i am very disappointed as to how this was handled. the news is saying they announced things over loud speaker...it is a complete lie. NONE OF US knew what the hell was going on. there is a PA system in all of our dorm halls and NOT ONE TIME did they make an announcement. there were no cops outside of the dorm building.


as someone previously mentioned we had a gun threat in december that i posted here about.....

they promised us after that threat happened that if anything dangerous were to happen they were going to utilize this great sound system in the dorm halls....and they never did. we were finding everything out on the news.

the only warning we were given was over email. and all it said was "possible gunmen spotted stay away from the following buildings..."

what kind of warning is THAT?!?! there are parents angry and several students that are going to be filing complaints in the next few weeks.

im sorry, im angry right now. im saddened by what happened but so angry at the same time. maybe we are all looking for people to blame..i dont know. but some of the news reports about how niu responded are completely false. the policemen were great though. they responded very fast.


there will be a news confrence at 9am central standard time with the NIU president for those of you that want to watch it. it will probably be broadcast on all major news channels.


Thank you again for all the support and prayers.....i really appreciate it.


Kind regards,
digitalgrl

I feel for you DG. I have 4 friends that go there right now and I know one of them is taking a Geology 105 class. Everywhere else that I read about it said that it was "ocean studies". I haven't been able to get ahold of him or his family all evening ... and I can understand why. Hope he's ok.

Also, a co-worker's brother was in the class at the time. I talked to him a bit ago ... he said he just ducked and there were bullets and screams everywhere. He said his first instinct was to duck in a seat rather than run to the door. Might have saved his life.

It's scary ... I went to UIUC in the early '00s and my brother is a freshman down there now. I never had anything happen while I was there but I can honestly say I am more afraid for my brother now than I was when I was down there. Something bad is definitely in the air. If you need anything DG, there are tons of people here that will support you.


[edit on 2/14/2008 by Fiverz]

reply to post by Fiverz


Thank you Fiverz....i really appreciate it. i hope that your friends are ok that go here.


kind regards,
Digitalgrl