Report: 18 Shot at Northern Illinois University; Update: Gunman Dead

Obviously a developing story.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - At least 18 people were shot when a gunman opened fire at Northern Illinois University outside Chicago on Thursday, CNN reported its local affiliate as saying.

It was unclear how serious the injuries were and whether any of the people had died at the college in DeKalb, about 65 miles west of downtown Chicago.

CNN report:

At least two people have been shot and several injured at Northern Illinois University outside Chicago, CNN affiliates are reporting.

The gunman who opened fire in a lecture hall is dead according to DeKalb police, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.

The lecture hall is Cole Hall, reports say. The shooting occured shortly after 3 p.m. ET.

A local hospital tells CNN affiliate CLTV that it expects to receive 15 patients and have so far treated at least two.

The University has ordered its student body to seek shelter and canceled classes Thursday.

Local report and Campus Alert page.

2/14/08

4:31 p.m.

All NIU students are asked to call their parents as soon as possible.

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4:24 p.m.

Campus police reiterate that an immediate danger has passed. Students should return to their residence halls and stay there. All classes are cancelled and all NIU campuses are closed for tonight and tomorrow (2/15/08).

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4:14 p.m.

Campus police report that the immediate danger has passed. The gunman is no longer a threat. The DeKalb campus is closed tomorrow. All NIU classes are cancelled and campuses are closed for tonight and tomorrow. Students can go to any residence hall for counseling.

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4:10 p.m.

Campus police report that the scene is secure. Only essential personnel should remain on campus.

Fox reports the gunman is dead.

Several people were reportedly shot on the campus of Northern Illinois University, including the gunman, MyFOXChicago reported.

The campus newspaper is reporting the gunman is dead.

"Campus police report that the immediate danger has passed," according to a statement posted on the university's Web site. "The gunman is no longer a threat."

A student told FOX News that the shooting occurred in Cole Hall, a building with lecture rooms.

Richie Dalitto, a freshman at Northern Illinois, told FOX News he heard that a student walked into Cole Hall carrying a shotgun, "went absolutely crazy" and fired some shots inside.

Assorted updates from Allahpundit.

Update 7 pm ET: Latest here, here and here.

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) -- A man dressed in black opened fire with a shotgun from a stage of a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University on Thursday, injuring as many as 18 people, four critically, before he killed himself, the school's president said.

University President John Peters said witnesses "say someone dressed in black came out from behind a screen in front of the classroom and opened fire with a shotgun."

The university had issued a statement on its Web site about an hour after the 3 p.m. shooting that "the immediate danger has passed. The gunman is no longer a threat."

Kishwaukee Community Hospital spokeswoman Theresa Komitas told WLS-TV in Chicago it received 17 victims all with wounds from the shooting or flying debris, including three with serious injuries. One was airlifted to another hospital.

George Gaynor, a senior geography student, who was in Cole Hall when the shooting happened, told the student newspaper the Northern Star that the shooter was "a skinny white guy with a stocking cap on."

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," Gaynor said outside just minutes after the shooting occurred. "It was like five minutes before class ended too."

Witnesses said the young man carried a shotgun and a pistol. Student Edward Robinson told WLS that the gunman appeared to target students in one part of the lecture hall.

"It was almost like he knew who he wanted to shoot," Robinson said. "He knew who and where he wanted to be firing at."

Jillian Martinez, a freshman from Carpentersville, told the Chicago Tribune she was in the auditorium when the gunman entered through a door to the right of the lectern and opened fire about 3 p.m. "He just started shooting at all the kids," she said. "He just started shooting at people, and I ran out of there as fast as I could. I ran all the way to the student center; when I got there I could still hear shooting (from the classroom).

Thanks to Glenn Reynolds for the link.

Update 7:22: Fox reported five now dead.