An NIU student committed suicide Thursday night at his Arlington Heights home.

Doug G. Gersey, a senior philosophy student, drove from NIU to his home in the northwestern suburbs and shot himself, said his roommate Tom Collins.

“He drove home because he didn’t want it to affect the other students in our dorm,” Collins said.

Gersey, who had just turned 21 last week, was in counseling at NIU and said it was going fine, Collins said.

“He had joked about it (suicide), but no one took him seriously,” he said.

The Arlington Heights Police Department deferred comment to the detective assigned to the case, but the detective was unavailable for comment.

University Police directed comments to the Student Affairs office.

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Gary Gresholdt said he could not comment because Gersey had signed a “no release of information” form at the beginning of the year.

“We were with him as much as we could be … at least until Thursday,” Collins said.

“He was an overgiving guy, he’d have given you the shirt off his back,” he said.

“He’s loved by many and will be missed,” Collins said.

Gersey is survived by his mother and father and three brothers.

Funeral services are Monday at 11 a.m. at St. James Church in Arlington Heights.