Two Aurora shooting victims had ties to NIU

Two of the victims in Friday's shooting rampage at the Henry Pratt manufacturing warehouse in Aurora had connections to Northern Illinois University.

Trevor Wehner, of Sheridan, Illinois, was a student at the DeKalb school and was working his first day as a human resources intern at Pratt when he was one of five employees shot and killed by the lone gunman.

Clay Parks, of Elgin, an NIU alumnus, was the company's human resources manager.

In a letter to students, faculty and staff, NIU President Lisa C. Freeman said Wehner was scheduled to graduate in May with a degree in human resource management. Parks was a 2014 graduate of the College of Business.

"Loss like this is devastating and senseless," Freeman wrote. "I ask our university community to please keep the Wehner and Parks families, friends and communities in your hearts and offer them caring thoughts."

She said students seeking support can contact Counseling and Consultation Services around the clock at (815) 753-1206. The school's Division of Students Affairs staff also is available to provide assistance and support services, she said, and the Employee Assistance Program is available for faculty and staff.

She said NIU will provide an update with memorial information once it becomes available.

Five NIU students were killed in a Valentine's Day shooting in 2008 that took the lives of Gayle Dubowski, 20, of Carol Stream; Catalina Garcia, 20, of Cicero; Julianna Gehant, 32, of Mendota; Ryanne Mace, 19, of Carpentersville; and Daniel Parmenter, 20, of Westchester.