Kishwaukee Community Hospital administrators spoke on shooting victims’ status at a news conference Thursday. The conference was held around 7 p.m. at Kishwaukee Health Care Building, 2727 Sycamore Road.

Kevin Poorten, president and CEO of Kishwaukee Health System; Brad Copple, administrator of Kishwaukee Community Hospital; and Joe Dant, vice president of business development of Kishwaukee Health Services answered questions.

VICTIMS ARRIVE AT KCH

Hearing of the incident, the hospital enacted a Code Alert, summoning more staff and physicians to the facility. The extra help would assist with the high number of expected patients.

“The first number I think we heard was about three [victims], and as information started to trickle in, we called the Code Alert,” Copple said.

The first victim arrived at 4:00 p.m., and a total of 18 patients had arrived as of press time.

Two surgeons were on site as of 5:00 p.m., with two more expected from KCH’s sister hospital, Valley West Community Hospital in Sandwich. Eventually, seven general surgeons, as well as orthopedic and neural surgeons, had been amassed to treat the wounded.

An NIU Crisis Team was dispatched to the hospital, offering support as well as a link between KCH and the university.

“That really enhanced the communication,” Poorten said of the team.

Also present were local religious figures, who arrived to offer support to families of victims.

“HIGH-TRAUMA” OVERFLOW TRANSPORTED NEARBY

Of the 18 admitted, there was one fatality, caused by head trauma.

“The one deceased expired of a gunshot wound to the head,” Poorten said.

Seven victims in critical condition were transferred to other hospitals because

“they needed a high level of care,” Copple said. He said most were head injuries, though at the time he could not confirm any specific details.

Of those transferred, two went to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, Ill; three went to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downer’s Grove, Ill.; one went to Rockford Memorial Hospital; and one went to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. KCH is a Level 3 trauma center while Good Samaritan, Saint Anthony, Rockford Memorial and Northwestern Memorial hospitals are Level 1 trauma centers capable of offering higher levels of care.

PATIENTS, FAMILIES FIRST AT KCH

No names or personal details of patients were released Thursday night, nor were reporters allowed to enter the hospital itself. Staff wanted to ensure that the families of the injured were made aware of any developments in patients’ health before details would be announced.

“Our staff has been in contact with the families,” Poorten said of getting information to the concerned relatives. “It’s very somber and tragic; people are shaken – the hardest part is just not knowing.”

SHOTGUN WOUNDS PREVALENT

According to an anonymous hospital staff member, about six or seven of the patients admitted had gunshot wounds, most of them from a shotgun.

There were “multiple BB entry wounds around head and chest areas,” the employee said, and “most were superficial but numerous.”

Because of the nature of the incident, the hospital was put on lockdown and staff members were called back to help with the treatment of victims. Staff members were organized in helping victims in treatment and the family members and friends waiting to see the victims.

Despite of the dark nature of the event, however, many patients refused to be kept down: “Most people, for being shot, were in relatively good spirits,” reported the employee.

More information on the patients of Kishwaukee Community Hospital and further updates are available on KCH’s Web site, www.kishhospital.org.