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Second anniversary of fatal university shooting approaches, but no plans yet for site of tragedy

By Jenna Dooley, Illinois Public Radio

Springfield, Ill. – Northern Illinois University in DeKalb is approaching the two-year anniversary of a deadly shooting rampage, where a former student killed five people in a lecture hall before turning the gun on himself.

University officials announced plans to tear down and replace Cole Hall, the building where it happened. And former Governor Rod Blagojevich wanted to give the university $40 million. But NIU has yet to receive any funding.

State Representative Bob Pritchard's district includes the university. He said the delay highlights the dysfunction in Illinois government.

"This is just another example of how this state has really failed to deal with priority issues," Pritchard said. "When you take a building out of commission that was serving somewhere around a third of your students, something has to be done and has to be done quickly."

After the shooting, a memorial to the five murdered students was built outside Cole Hall.

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