Shooting at Northern Illinois Wounds 17; Shooter Dead

At least 17 people were wounded after a shooting today on the Northern Illinois University campus in DeKalb, Ill., the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Police have confirmed that the suspect—described as “a skinny white guy with a stocking cap on” and armed with a pistol and shotgun—is dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the NIU Northern Star and the university website report. The gunman has not been identified.

According to the mother of a witness, “at least 20 rounds were fired” in an ocean science class held in a large lecture hall around 3 p.m. Central Time, the Chicago Tribune reports. “[Witnesses] say someone, dressed in black, came out from behind the screen in front of the classroom and opened fire with a shotgun,” university President John Peters said in a press conference yesterday evening.

The campus was put on lockdown at 3:07 p.m., and an all-campus alert was posted at 3:20 p.m., Peters said. Via the school’s website, students and teachers were told to “get to a safe area and take precautions until given the all-clear.”

By 4:10 p.m., the scene at the 25,000-student campus had been secured.

At least 17 patients were taken to the Kishwaukee Community Hospital, the hospital website reports. Three were critically wounded, eight in stable condition, and six in good condition. At least one other patient was transferred by helicopter to a regional hospital.

All classes and activities scheduled for yesterday afternoon and tomorrow were canceled, and counselors were made available at the scene, the college reports.