University President Steven Knapp issued a statement this evening regarding a shooting at Northern Illinois University where about 22 people were shot by a student gunman this afternoon, six of them fatally.
CNN is reporting that the gunman stepped out from behind a curtain in a lecture-sized classroom and opened fire. The gunman also died at the scene. Their student newspaper is also covering the event, as the national press sweeps in on this story.
Knapp extended his sympathies to the victims and their families, and emphasized that colleges must take steps to prevent these types of tragedies.
“Nothing is more important on our campuses than the safety and security of our community, and this horrendous event at Northern Illinois University once again impresses upon us the need to be vigilant,” Knapp said. He added that the results of his task force to assess campus safety will be available within several days.
“As the study will show, GW already has in place comprehensive public safety and emergency management policies and procedures,” Knapp said. “But even with established best practices in use, there is always room for improvement”
