NIU students return to classes

DEKALB, Ill., Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Classes resumed Monday at Northern Illinois University, 11 days after Steven Kazmierczak shot five students to death before taking his own life.

More than 550 counselors wearing red armbands were to be on hand Monday and Tuesday to help students deal with problems resulting from the Feb. 14 shootings in Cole Hall, the Rockford (Ill.) Register-Star reported.

Classes won't be conducted in Cole Hall this semester and officials haven't decided what to do about the building.

Sunday evening more than 10,000 members of the Northern Illinois University community gathered at the university's Convocation Center for a memorial service to honor the five students who were killed along with 16 others who were wounded, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"I have seen your courage,and I have seen your strength," Northern Illinois University President John G. Peters told the audience as security guards walked the aisles handing out tissues.

The crowd included the Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama, and U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings who read a statement on behalf of U.S. President George Bush.