Shooting at NIU

By Margaret Lyons in News on Feb 14, 2008 10:07PM

At least two people were shot during a geology class at Northern Illinois University this afternoon. As of 3:50, NIU had posted this on its website:

Its has been confirmed that there has been a shooting on campus and several people have been taken away by ambulance. All classses are cancelled on the DeKalb campus. People are urged not to come to campus. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

More info to come.... [NIU's Northern Star, Trib, S-T, WBBM, CBS]

Update, 4:50: NIU is asking all students to call their parents. Four people have been brought to the hospital with "head wounds," according to the Trib. According to witnesses, the gunman was carrying a pistol and a shot gun, and reports currently say that the shooter is dead.

Update, 5:16:: From NIU: "Police are confirming that the shooter is dead by a self-inflicted gunshot." There's a press conference scheduled for 5:30.

5:55 Watching the press conference. NIU police were on the scene in less than 2 minutes, but no one knows yet what the motive was. There aren't any security cameras in the lecture hall.

6:00 There was only one gunman, and he had a shotgun and two handguns. One was a Glock, and the other was a small-caliber handgun, but the police haven't found the smaller gun yet. The police officer doing the briefing says the assailant had ammunition left, but won't say how much ammo the gunman brought with him into the classroom.

6:10 Conference over. More details TBA.