Shortly before his oceanography class let out, geography student George Gaynor, 23, leapt out of the room as the gunman opened fire. Gaynor was sitting in the back of the lecture hall, closest to the door.
“I never ran so fast in my life,” said Gaynor, as he recounted leaving the room. He explained, after the initial shots, there was a lot of screaming and people running.
“I didn’t believe what I was seeing, once he opened fire, reality set in,” said Gaynor. “I was out of there in 10 seconds,” he continued. He explained that when he left the building, he ran to a group of students warning them what was happening in Cole Hall.
Gaynor got a clear view of the shooter and stated that he was expressionless and seemed to move and act with “intent,” and then “he did what he did.” Gaynor described him as wearing “blue jeans, a grey sweater and a white knit cap.” Gaynor explained that the shooter entered from the back of the lecture area, from one of the two technical service doors in the classroom. Then, “he came in and walked straight forward and started shooting.”
According to Gaynor, many students left their belongings in the room, leaving cell phones, which Gaynor said was the reason that many of the family members of the students weren’t able to immediately contact their sons or daughters following the shooting.
“I’m just trying to get through this as best as I can with the support of family and friends,” he said. He said that he didn’t know any of the victims personally.
Gaynor explained that Thursdays are normally the days that are active with parties, but he said that last night it was a quiet night. “It’s been a little bit different with everyone not on campus and it has been kind of weird.”
“I intend to go home today after I’m done here,” Gaynor said as he expressed his intent to start dealing with the tragedy on his own with his family.
Many of the students at NIU who would normally be going home this weekend to relax, Will be using this time to get a grasp on what happened and have time to grieve.
On returning to class, Gaynor said, “I can only take it as it comes. As soon the university comes out saying when classes resume, I’ll just take it at that and go from there.”
“I’ll have plenty enough time to get ready for finals this May,” he concluded.