Former NIU student Ryan Chambers was in the apartment when Steven Agee II, senior sociology major, was fatally shot Wednesday Nov. 23.

“During the incident I was upstairs in my room,” Chambers said in an email. “The shooting happened two floors under me in the basement. I heard the three shots.”

Chambers said he considered Agee a good friend and was astonished by what happened.

“I knew Steve very closely and it is unbelievable to know that a friend of mine was murdered in my own house,” Chambers said. “Steve was such a good guy and everyone at NIU’s campus loved him.”

Agee was a member of Black Male Initiative, the vice president of Student Sociology Advisory Council (SSCA) and a member of Kappa Alpha Psi at NIU.

Derrick Smith, advisor of Kappa Alpha Psi and an instructor of Agee’s, said Agee was president of Kappa Alpha Psi last year but he was more active in SA (Student Association) this year.

“He was always the jokester,” Smith said of Agee in his Black Male Concept class. “He was really the spokesperson for our class. He was the main debater. He was actually going to do a presentation Thursday. This is going to be our first time without him, and he was very loved in our class.”

Smith also said Agee was a smart and successful student in his class.

“He would make statements that took a lot of thought,” Smith said.

As a person, Smith said Agee was always looking out for others.

“He was always helping me out with mentoring young people,” Smith said. “He had a friendly demeanor and was always smiling. He was like our ‘Ace in the hole’.”

Laing Apartments and all other residents of 809 Edgebrook Drive refused to comment. SSCA could not be reached as of press time.