Another school shooting

Post by **nerdanel** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:08 am

Gunman Kills Five on Illinois Campus (although the article sounds as though six were actually killed.)

It sounds as though post-VA Tech security plans put into effect may have minimized the loss of life. But, what a tragedy when students in class are victimized so needlessly.

Post by **elfshadow** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:01 pm

It is a tragedy, nel, and one that I never wished to see happen in the first place--let alone repeated.

My thought will be with the victims and their families. It sounds as though the university took quick action when this happened. I just wish there was some way to prevent this rather than react to it.

And from reading the article, it looks like the sixth deceased they mentioned was the shooter himself, who committed suicide.

Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:05 pm

It's now seven people dead, as one of the other students shot succumbed to his or her injuries.

Post by **Holbytla** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:09 pm

I don't know the particulars of this incident, and I have no intention of reading about it. Having two kids away at school, I have become pretty much in tune with the amount of stress with kids that age and college life. Both of my sons have had to deal with suicides and deaths of classmates.
All of these things are far too prevalent and it makes me wonder if we aren't unduly pressurizing kids.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 4:17 pm

We probably are, but I also think we're unduly arming them, and that we have created a society that to some extent glamorizes violent revenge.

Post by **River** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:10 pm

Post by **themary** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:11 am

This isn't just another school shooting for me. This was the school my younger brother attended last year before I insisted he stay in California. I had marching band competitions at NIU every year in high school and know many people who've attended and graduated from NIU.

Thankfully all of Dan's friends are safe but my heart goes out to those who were injured and the families of those who were killed. I'll never forget my brother's face as he watched the coverage. He'd had a class in Cole Hall the previous year.

The truly terrible part is that the gunman seemed to be an excellent student and normal guy. What drives someone to plan a mass killing spree? He worked for U of I why go back to Northern to kill? I don't get it.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:24 am

I saw a news story today that indicated he might have gone off his meds. Depending on what they were, that can produce psychotic behavior.

We had a school shooting at a high school in this community, and I can say that you eventually realize there is no "why" that explains it satisfactorily. The shooter's parents were doing everything right by the standards of the time, and it wasn't enough.

You can take steps to prevent things like this, but nothing that's reasonably possible in a free society is going to give perfect protection. It's a disaster like an avalanche or a tornado. It just happens. A concatenation of mistakes, or even just one mistake, is all it takes.

Post by **themary** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:51 am

You know I'm going off my meds right now too and yes I've been feeling a little off but I never once thought about killing anyone. Guess I'm not psychotic.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:57 am

TM, I meant abruptly stopping taking meds completely—going cold turkey. Tapering them off under a doctor's advice is an entirely different thing and isn't dangerous.

Sorry!

Post by **themary** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:13 am

No worries Prim