Prayer Request (updated)

For the students at both at NIU and UIUC. It was discovered this morning the gunman was a current student at UIUC. His family must be devastated.

From the AP:

DeKalb County Coroner Dennis J. Miller released the identities of the four victims who died in his county: Daniel Parmenter, 20, of Westchester; Catalina Garcia, 20, of Cicero; Ryanne Mace, 19, of Carpentersville; and Julianna Gehant, 32, of Meridan.

Two other victims died after being transferred to hospitals in other counties, Miller said. Winnebago County Coroner Sue Fiduccia said a female victim died in her jurisdiction but has not been identified pending notification of family.

Witnesses said the gunman, dressed in black and wearing a stocking cap, emerged from behind a screen on the stage of 200-seat Cole Hall and opened fire just as the class was about to end around 3 p.m. Officials said 162 students were registered for the class but it was unknown how many were there Thursday

Sad.

Still no words from Obama camp. Strange.

Update: Obama issued a statement through his Senate web site. Here it is:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michael Ortiz, 202 228 5566

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on the shooting at Northern Illinois University:

"Yesterday, twenty-two men and women were shot, and six were killed, when a madman walked into a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and opened fire.

"We hear about heartbreaking, mindless acts of violence like this day after day, week after week. They come in and out of the headlines, and after awhile, most of the world goes on. But for all the loved ones who are left behind, the pain and the sorrow remain for a very, very long time. Today we offer them our prayers, but we must also offer them our determination to do whatever it takes to eradicate this violence from our streets and our schools; from our neighborhoods and our cities. That is our duty as Americans, and that is our solemn obligation as mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, neighbors and friends.

"Michelle and I offer our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims. They will be in our prayers."

And here is Dick Durbin's (buried within the website):

Thursday, February 14, 2008

[Washington, DC] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) made the following statement regarding the news of today's shooting at Northern Illinois University.

"The shooting at Northern Illinois University today is a heartbreaking tragedy. I have spoken with President Peters of NIU and Mayor Van Buer of DeKalb and pledged my full support as we face the days ahead. For now, our thoughts and prayers are with the students, faculty, staff and families of the NIU community."

I hope both of them take some action steps...now.

Aldon Hynes from Orient Lodge has uploaded this really cool picture of something he created in Second Life.