A man opened fire on students at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill., less than 100 miles away from Madison, injuring 16 and killing five Thursday, according to university officials.
The gunman entered a large classroom in Cole Hall and began shooting at students using multiple guns, according to Justin Smith, online editor at the Northern Star, the campus newspaper. After wounding several students, the gunman shot and killed himself.
According to Smith, the gunman entered the lecture hall around 3:00 p.m. and opened fire on students sitting in the large classroom.
Officials at NIU said the gunman was a former graduate student at NIU. His identity has not yet been released.
Students on campus at the time of the shooting were alerted that the campus was on lockdown and classes were cancelled for the remainder of the day. Police responded to the call within two minutes, according the Star.
Mike Centracco, a NIU freshman, said he was in a neighboring building at the time of the shootings and did not realize something was wrong until he saw students crowding around windows.
I went to the window to check what was going on and I couldn't believe all the ambulances outside,"" he said. ""People were either starring or just running away.""
NIU junior Jon Poloncsik said he was near Cole Hall at the time of the shootings.
""My class was dismissed early so I didn't know anything had happened until I got back to my house,"" he said.
Poloncsik said he was told by his fraternity president not to leave the house until they knew what was going on.
""We were all just so surprised. Surprised and sad.""
""This appears to be yet another terrible tragedy, this '""time affecting a nearby campus community,"" UW-Madison Dean of Students Lori Berquam said in a statement.
""Our thoughts are with all of those affected and anyone on the UW-Madison campus from Northern Illinois.
