DEKALB, Ill. (AP) -- More than 200 people were honored at Northern Illinois University for their role in responding to a campus shooting spree earlier this year.

The DeKalb university held a "thank you" reception Tuesday for emergency first responders, local law enforcement officials and hospital personnel.

It was the first formal appreciation event since gunman Steven Kazmierczak (kaz-MUR'-chehk) walked into a lecture hall on February 14th and opened fire, killing five before turning then gun on himself.

Another 18 people were injured.

NIU president John Peters says people's actions that day were "heroic."

Information from: The Daily Chronicle, http://www.dekalb-chronicle.com