February 22, 2008—After a gunman shot and killed five students and himself at Northern Illinois University (NIU) shortly after 3pm on Feb. 14, questions and concerns are being voiced about the school’s security and method of communication.
According to the Associated Press, many students phoned each other and sent text messages even before school officials could warn them.
But although these students saw errors in their university’s system, the AP reports that within 20 minutes of the shooting, officials posted a message on the school’s Web site about a report of a possible gunman on campus and warning students to “get to a safe area and take precautions until given the all clear.”
By 3:40 p.m. NIU officials canceled classes and closed the campus as part of a new security plan created after a student at Virginia Tech killed 32 people last year.
For updated information on the tragedy and steps being taken by university officials, see the Web site of Northern Illinois University.
