February 14, a day of love and spending time with the people that make us happy, turned to a day of misery for students at Northern Illinois University. Steven Kazmierczak stepped onto the NIU campus and entered the Cole Hall auditorium at about 3 p.m. Thursday and started shooting at students that were in their ocean science class. Six students were killed, including the gunman, who shot himself, and 18 others were hospitalized, according to a news post in the Los Angeles Times.
As word of the shooting spread that afternoon, members of Pi Kappa Alpha quickly gathered back at their fraternity house and did a head count to make sure everyone was there, while text messaging those who were not. Everyone was accounted for that was present, except for one brother, Dan Parmenter. Some members were checking the Kishwaukee Hospital when Parmenter's cousin called them with the news. "I went into shock at first for about five minutes and then I broke down," said Jason Garcia, president of Pi Kappa Alpha's NIU chapter.
Parmenter had graduated from York High School before attending NIU. He hoped to be an intern at the Chicago Board of Trade this summer, but because of the actions of another, he will remain a wonderful memory to those who knew him. "He was always helping people out, giving you a ride to class, helping with homework, doing community service," said Garcia.
"I'm not angry," said his stepfather, Robert Greer. "I'm just sad, and I know that right no what I need to do is comfort my wife."
Quotes and text taken from an LA Times News Story
