After the shooting at Virginia Tech on Monday morning, the nation and NIU officials are expressing grief for the university and those lost.

“It is a tragedy,” said NIU President John Peters. “We all have to pull together and take care of each other.”

Peters said he received e-mails from other college presidents expressing similar thoughts. Peters also sent out an e-mail statement to the campus expressing sympathy and comfort.

“We are a community of learners here, bound by our belief in education, opportunity and social justice. In that type of community, what affects one person affects us all,” Peters said in the statement.

Kelly Wesener, executive director of Housing and Dining, said in the event of an emergency similar to the one at Virginia Tech, the university would rely on the partnership with the NIU Department of Public Safety and support them in any way possible. She also said emergency procedures are in place, but they depend on the situation. Officials declined to discuss specific procedures.

Security cameras and key-access elevators are just some of the security measures in place, Wesener said.

University Police Lt. Darren Mitchell said the UP has a critical incident-response team if such an event should occur, and officers have been trained to handle an active shooter response.

Mitchell said the UP would also work with the city and county police departments if the emergency response was out of their capability.

“Our primary focus is on prevention,” Mitchell said.

Coverage from the Virginia Tech campus newspaper here.

– Alan Edrinn, city reporter