III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 458 

Expressing the condolences of the Senate to those affected by the devastating 

shooting incident of February 14, 2008, at Northern Illinois University 

in DeKalb, Illinois. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2008 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. OBAMA, and Mr. HATCH) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the condolences of the Senate to those affected 

by the devastating shooting incident of February 14, 

2008, at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. 

Whereas, on Thursday, February 14, 2008, a gunman entered a lecture hall on the campus of Northern Illinois 

University and opened fire on the students assembled 

there; 

Whereas the gunman took the lives of 5 students and wounded 17 more; 

Whereas the 5 students who lost their lives that day were— 

(1) Gayle Dubowski, age 20, of Carol Stream, Illinois, a devout member of her church who sang in the 

church choir and worked as a camp counselor and volunteer in rural Kentucky; 


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•SRES 458 ATS 

(2) Catalina ‘‘Cati’’ Garcia, age 20, of Cicero, Illinois, a first-generation American who had hoped to be a 

teacher, was her family’s ‘‘princess’’ and inspiration, and 

was rarely seen without a beaming smile; 

(3) Julianna Gehant, age 32, of Mendota, Illinois, 

who dreamed of becoming a teacher, and who had spent 

more than 12 years in the United States Army and Army 

Reserve serving our Nation and saving money for college; 

(4) Ryanne Mace, age 19, of Carpentersville, Illinois, 

a much-loved only child who was rarely without a warm 

smile and hoped to be a counselor so she could help others; and 

(5) Daniel Parmenter, age 20, of Westchester, Illinois, ‘‘Danny’’ to his friends, a 6-foot, 5-inch rugby player with a gentle spirit and a bright future, who died trying to protect his girlfriend from gunfire; 

Whereas the Northern Illinois University Police Department, 

the Police Departments of DeKalb, Sycamore, Aurora, 

Batavia, Cortland, Galesburg, Genoa, Geneva, Mendota, 

St. Charles, Rockford, and the Village of Winnebago, the 

Conservation Police, the Sheriff’s Offices of DeKalb 

County, Winnebago County, and Kane County, the Kane 

County Bomb Squad, the Illinois State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Reach/Air Angel, Flight 

for Life, Life Line, the Salvation Army, and the Fire and 

Emergency Medical Services Departments of DeKalb, 

Sycamore, Cortland, Malta, Maple Park, Rochelle, 

Hampshire, Burlington, Shabbona, Hinckley, GenoaKingston, Waterman, Elburn, St. Charles, Ogle-Lee, 

Kaneville, Sugar Grove, North Aurora, and Somonauk 

responded to the emergency promptly and assisted capably in the initial crisis and the subsequent investigation; 


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•SRES 458 ATS 

Whereas the emergency responders and the doctors, nurses, 

and other health care providers at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, Saint Anthony Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, Rockford Memorial Hospital, and 

Northwestern Memorial Hospital provided professional 

and dedicated care to the victims; 

Whereas hundreds of volunteer counselors from Illinois and 

across the Nation have come to Northern Illinois University to assist the campus community; 

Whereas the students, faculty, staff, and administration of 

Northern Illinois University, the people of the city of 

DeKalb and the State of Illinois, and all Americans have 

mourned the victims of this tragedy and have offered 

support to the victims’ friends and families and to the 

greater Northern Illinois University community; 

Whereas Northern Illinois University has established a scholarship fund to honor the memory of the students slain 

in the February 14 tragedy; and 

Whereas the Northern Illinois University community is determined to move ‘‘forward, together forward’’, in the words 

of the Huskie fight song, and to persevere through this 

tragedy with heavy hearts but unbroken spirits: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) expresses its sincere condolences to the fam3 ilies, friends, and loved ones of those who were killed 

4 in the tragic shooting on February 14, 2008, at 

5 Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois: 

6 Gayle Dubowski, Catalina Garcia, Julianna Gehant, 

7 Ryanne Mace, and Daniel Parmenter; 


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1 (2) extends its support and prayers to those 

2 who were wounded and wishes them a speedy recov3 ery; 

4 (3) commends the emergency responders, law 

5 enforcement officers, healthcare providers, and coun6 selors who performed their duties with profes7 sionalism and dedication in response to the tragedy; 

8 (4) reaffirms its commitment to helping ensure 

9 that schools, colleges, and universities in the United 

10 States are safe and secure environments for learn11 ing; and 

12 (5) expresses its solidarity with Northern Illi13 nois University and its students, faculty, staff, and 

14 administration as they mourn their losses and as 

15 they recover from this tragic incident. 

Æ 


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