Here's a recap on all of the victims.
Six are dead, including the alleged male shooter. Four of those killed are young women. No names have been released. There are six more in critical condition, two at Saint Anthony's Medical Hospital in Rockford. Three went to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downer's Grove, one was taken to Rockford Memorial Hospital. Three are in Kishwaukee Community Hospital. Eight others have been discharged.
We'll bring you details on their status as soon as it becomes available.
All 18 victims were initially taken to Kishwaukee Community Hospital outside Dekalb.
The first victims started coming in to Kish Hospital at around four and they streamed in quickly. The hospital immediately went into a code alert, meaning they called in extra staff to handle the load of patients.
Hospital leaders say they've had to call code alerts before, but never handling this many patients with this level of injuries.
Six victims have been transferred, mostly by air to hospitals with more advanced trauma centers. The health system's CEO says they're worried about the stress their staff is under as well as the victims and families. He doesn't know of any direct connections between staff members and victims, but many have children at NIU and they're doing their best to keep everyone mentally sound.
"We've brought in social workers, we've brought in clergy and they're here, first and foremost, to help the patients and their families, but then, once things have calmed down a little, to look internally," says Kevin Poorten, CEO and President of Kishwaukee Health System.
Administrators believe they have contacted all of the victims' family members. They were working hard all day to get in touch with all of them. The families are gathered in a conference center inside the hospital. Poorten says the mood among the families is extremely somber and everyone is shaken. But the hospital is doing its best to make everyone as comfortable and comforted as possible.
The hospital does hold drills two or three times a year to prepare for code alerts. They say everything ran smoothly Thursday. But the hospital's administrator said it's clear this incident will change not only the university, but the entire community forever.