Northern Illinois: One Year Later

Last year I covered the shootings at Northern Illinois University and I became very connected to stories I heard of the students and the staff. This year my friend Andrew and I decided to return for the one year anniversary these are the scenes I saw and the people I met. February 14th is no longer Valentines Day to me but the day when all of us for that day are all NIU. Please remember the students that lost their lives in Cole Hall that day.

Students stand in remembrance in front of five crosses with the names of each student who was killed last February.



The carpenter who made these crosses this year and last stands and talks to students and family members.



The president of the college hugs a victims family member at a memorial service.



Students, staff, and families walk by memorial wreaths just placed at a future memorial by the victims family members.



Two students stand on a bench in front of Cole Hall, where the shootings took place, to get a glimpse of a memorial service being held.



Noel Gamay (right) helps Dana Colovono and Amanda Cox pick out tiles to paint for a memorial being built on campus.



Scott Cerny, an NIU student, plays the guitar at a memorial concert.



A volunteer passes out candles at a candle light vigil held where a memorial was set up last year.



Three students embrace each other as NIU's president honors those who died last year.



The crowd ended the vigil by chanting NIU cheers.



After much of the crowd left two NIU students stayed to pay tribute to the five students who passed away.



An NIU student kneels in front of five crosses for the five students who died in Cole Hall.



A reminder on the doors of Cole Hall that the day was Valentines Day.