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Feb-14-2008 18:32

By now, I'm sure at least some of you will have heard of this evening's Northern Illinios University shooting. For anyone that doesn't know and is interested:

It happened around 3.05 in the afternoon. A white male walked into a lecture hall with a hand gun and two pistols. The shooting was over in seconds, leaving 18 injured, and five dead, including the shooter. None of the students have been identifyed yet, but the shooter is said to be a student from another school.

Four of the 18 wounded are in critical condition, eight of them stable, and six in good condition. By 4.00pm, the area was announced secure.

The lecture hall was in Cole Hall. I dunno where that is, but I could probably recognize it if I saw it.

:

I live littereally, right next to campus. I can walk there in under a minute. My school is also right near campus. This is just.........crazy. Sad, terrible, horrid, and crazy.....

Discussions, anyone?

Feb-14-2008 21:01

The news didn't make it to Europe yet. Not so long ago there was a similar case in Finland and the memory of Cho Sheung-Hui is still fresh.

I fear that one dreadful event will always inspire another. My main concern is that this will eventually lead to indifference. Then again, as cynical as it may sound, a decrease of the shock effect might lead to a decline of "interest" by potential mass murderers. But the toll of human lifes would always be too high...

Feb-14-2008 21:45

I heard he had a shotgun or rifle as well.

Feb-15-2008 23:59

This was all over the radio today - apparently, the guy in question was a (previously) very well-liked sociology student at the university who had some very severe pre-existing mental health issues, and who had recently gone off his medication before the event. It's sad in so many ways.

I share BadAss' concern about the eventual anaesthetic effect these types of things might eventually have on people. After all - waging war in the middle east has been reduced to the level of a virtual gaming platform for children, even as their brothers and sisters die there. I'm less comfortable saying that this event might spawn another though - I feel like things like this will just keep happening at schools until someone figures out what it is about being at schools that raises the pressure so much for angry kids.

Feb-17-2008 18:19

It's always young males who are social outcasts. Why don't they see a future for themselves in our society?

Another thought is that young males have always been over-represented in suicide statistics. What's new is that they are now able to get hold of weapons made for war.

I read in a paper that some groups are encouraging american students to buy guns to defend themselvs at school. I fear that this will lead to even more deaths. Hope it is only fanatics who draw conclusions like that.

Apr-5-2008 13:16

But shooters could be girls too.

NO MORE DEATHS!!!!!!!!! Please...

Apr-5-2008 13:17

Yes no more death. That would be a good thing.