 "Photo: Nam Y. Huh, The Associated Press")
In the wake of five student deaths, 16 injured and the suicide of shooter Steven Kazmierczak at Northern Illinois University Thursday, university students across the country are again questioning how safe they feel on campus.
Amanda Shaw, a second-year early childhood education student, said in light of recent events she doesn't feel as safe as she used to.
"It makes me aware that these types of things can happen at regular universities. Who would have picked Northern Illinois?" Shaw said. "It is just as likely to happen here as anywhere else."
Jonathan Abejuela, a second-year NIU accounting student, said he is upset that tragedies ruin everyday life.
"It pisses me off that the entire atmosphere of the school has changed," Abejuela said. "The fun once had going to classes and hanging around campus is replaced by sadness and anger toward those events."
Abejuela credited the NIU police with such a rapid response.
"I felt really safe on my campus and I applaud the NIU police," he said. "I had always thought of them as a very respectable police force. I feel they did a great job that day getting warnings out so that everyone knew a shooting happened."
Emily Aberson, a second-year NIU psychology student, said she is still stunned.
"I feel completely devastated," she said. "I cannot make sense of what has happened. I don't know if I feel safe anywhere. I think that everything was handled extremely efficiently."
Some in the USC community still feel safe, but see the necessity in being prepared.
"It's a big campus but they do their best with what we have," said Sarah Langdon, a first-year visual communications student. "We can't gate off everyone."
Langdon is registered for the Carolina ALERT system, which sends text and messages to cell phone numbers provided by students, faculty and staff.
Russ McKinney, director of communications and university spokesperson, said preparation is the best mechanism of university safety.
"All you can do is plan and try to always have the entire campus community think safety at all times," he said. "We spend a lot of time and effort on emergency planning for many, many different types of scenarios. I think that the campus as a whole is pretty much tuned in to safety."
McKinney also said USC had the benefit of "30,000 pairs of eyes" watching to keep the community safe, as well as a "very visible and very professional police department."
Director of student life Jerry Brewer expressed his sympathy in regards to the tragedy.
"It's a terrible thing," he said. "You want to send your thoughts and prayers to Northern Illinois."
Like McKinney, Brewer reiterated campus safety.
"We've worked really hard, and have always worked hard and will continue to work hard, to be as safe as an environment we can be," he said. "Are we exempt from this kind of thing? I hope that we will be."
President Andrew Sorensen issued a statement of condolences Friday, and echoed the importance of safety and preparedness at USC.
"Please know that safety is - and always has been - of the utmost importance at our university, and I am confident that our campus is prepared to respond in the event of an emergency," he said.
Although safety is of top concern before a tragedy, once it happens, many simply rely on the comfort of others.
Sheffy Abraham, a second-year NIU business administration student, said he felt safe before, feels safe now and is currently spending time with his friends, including members who were in the classroom with him.
"At times like this the most you can ever do is find others that relate to you and spend quality time with them," Abraham said. "This has been hard on everyone but we have to know that life goes on and once we overcome this we will become stronger and better than ever before."
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