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| US university gunman kills five | US university gunman kills five |
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| A gunman has opened fire on students at a university near Chicago in the United States, killing five people before turning the gun on himself. | A gunman has opened fire on students at a university near Chicago in the United States, killing five people before turning the gun on himself. |
| The shooting took place at Northern Illinois University, in De Kalb, 65 miles (100km) west of Chicago. | The shooting took place at Northern Illinois University, in De Kalb, 65 miles (100km) west of Chicago. |
| Students ran for cover as a white male armed with two handguns and a shotgun opened fire during a science lecture. | Students ran for cover as a white male armed with two handguns and a shotgun opened fire during a science lecture. |
| Another 16 people were injured in the attack. Police said there was no apparent motive. | Another 16 people were injured in the attack. Police said there was no apparent motive. |
| I kept thinking: 'Oh God, he's going to shoot me. Oh God, I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead' Desiree Smith, student class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7246503.stm">In pictures: Illinois attack Two weapons have been recovered and police are searching for a third firearm in Cole Hall near the King Commons, a central gathering place for the 25,000 students on campus. | |
| The victims, four women and a man, were killed in a "brief, rapid-fire assault", university president John Peters said. | The victims, four women and a man, were killed in a "brief, rapid-fire assault", university president John Peters said. |
| The university said that the gunman was a former graduate student in sociology, but was not currently enrolled. | The university said that the gunman was a former graduate student in sociology, but was not currently enrolled. |
| Earlier reports said 17 victims had been transported to Kishwaukee Community Hospital. | Earlier reports said 17 victims had been transported to Kishwaukee Community Hospital. |
| Police say there is no apparent motive for the attackThe shooting comes 10 months after 32 students and staff were shot by a student at Virginia Tech University in one of the worst shootings ever at a US school. | Police say there is no apparent motive for the attackThe shooting comes 10 months after 32 students and staff were shot by a student at Virginia Tech University in one of the worst shootings ever at a US school. |
| It is also the fourth shooting at a US education establishment within a week. | It is also the fourth shooting at a US education establishment within a week. |
| Last Friday, a woman shot dead two fellow students before killing herself at Louisiana Technical College in Baton Rouge. In Memphis, Tennessee, a 17-year-old is accused of shooting and critically wounding a student on Monday, and a 15-year-old was shot at a junior high school in California on Tuesday. | Last Friday, a woman shot dead two fellow students before killing herself at Louisiana Technical College in Baton Rouge. In Memphis, Tennessee, a 17-year-old is accused of shooting and critically wounding a student on Monday, and a 15-year-old was shot at a junior high school in California on Tuesday. |
| 'A lot of blood' | 'A lot of blood' |
| Students described a panicked rush from the lecture theatre as the black-clad gunman walked onto the stage and opened fire. | Students described a panicked rush from the lecture theatre as the black-clad gunman walked onto the stage and opened fire. |
| "I kept thinking, 'Oh God, he's going to shoot me. Oh God, I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead'," Desiree Smith, a student who dropped to the floor near the back of the auditorium, told AP news agency. | "I kept thinking, 'Oh God, he's going to shoot me. Oh God, I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead'," Desiree Smith, a student who dropped to the floor near the back of the auditorium, told AP news agency. |
| "People were crawling on each other, trampling each other," she said. "As I got near the door, I got up and I started running." | "People were crawling on each other, trampling each other," she said. "As I got near the door, I got up and I started running." |
| A student named Sheila told local radio station WBBM the gunman was quiet as he turned his weapons on the students. | A student named Sheila told local radio station WBBM the gunman was quiet as he turned his weapons on the students. |
| "He just stood on the stage in front of everybody and just started shooting," she said. | "He just stood on the stage in front of everybody and just started shooting," she said. |
| "I saw a lot of blood. I have blood all over my clothes." | "I saw a lot of blood. I have blood all over my clothes." |
| George Gaynor, a senior geography student, told the student newspaper that the gunman was "a skinny white guy with a stocking cap on". | George Gaynor, a senior geography student, told the student newspaper that the gunman was "a skinny white guy with a stocking cap on". |
| He described the scene immediately following the incident as terrifying and chaotic. | He described the scene immediately following the incident as terrifying and chaotic. |
| "Some girl got hit in the eye, a guy got hit in the leg," he said. | "Some girl got hit in the eye, a guy got hit in the leg," he said. |
| Emergency workers were at the scene within minutes | Emergency workers were at the scene within minutes |
| Students warned each other by mobile phone within minutes of the shootings, and the university's website issued alerts, warning of the possibility of a gunman on campus. | Students warned each other by mobile phone within minutes of the shootings, and the university's website issued alerts, warning of the possibility of a gunman on campus. |
| "Get to a safe area and take precautions until given the all clear," it warned students. | "Get to a safe area and take precautions until given the all clear," it warned students. |
| The site then carried updates confirming the shooting and telling students to stay away or stay in doors. It then said the gunman was "no longer a threat". | The site then carried updates confirming the shooting and telling students to stay away or stay in doors. It then said the gunman was "no longer a threat". |
| Emergency hotlines and counselling are being offered for students and parents. | Emergency hotlines and counselling are being offered for students and parents. |
| Mr Peters urged students to remain calm and support each other. | Mr Peters urged students to remain calm and support each other. |
| "We've asked them to reach out to each other during this difficult time, and they've done that, and I'm proud of them." | "We've asked them to reach out to each other during this difficult time, and they've done that, and I'm proud of them." |
| Are you in the area? Do you have any friends or family at the university? Send us your comments using the form below | Are you in the area? Do you have any friends or family at the university? Send us your comments using the form below |
| Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions | Send your pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk, text them to +44 7725 100 100 or you have a large file you can upload here. Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |