Friday, Oct. 16
Update: The Coconino County Attorney’s Office announced the Coconino County Grand Jury has indicted suspect Steven Jones on the following charges:
1 count first degree murder
6 counts aggravated assault
For information, contact the Coconino County Attorney’s Office.
Thursday, Oct. 15
Update: The Coconino County Attorney has changed the charges against suspect Steven Jones to the following:
1 count second degree murder
6 counts aggravated assault
Saturday, Oct. 10
Click here to read a letter to campus from President Rita Cheng.
Friday, Oct. 9
6:30 p.m. update: The NAU Police Department has released recordings of the initial 911 calls received early this morning in response to the shooting on campus. The files can be downloaded here.
4:45 p.m. update: NAU students representing fraternity and sorority life are planning a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. on the North Quad of the Flagstaff campus.
Counseling Services will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. The Office of Student Life and the Health and Learning Center also will open at 10 a.m.
1:45 p.m. update: Due to human error, the initial text alerts went to 700 individuals, including the residence hall director. That residence hall director reacted immediately, calling the police department and activating the public address system to notify the entire hall within minutes to stay inside their rooms and lock their doors.
Initial messages were distributed by the dispatcher, who also was managing a dynamic, developing situation which included fielding multiple, simultaneous 911 calls and communicating with the officers responding to and arriving on the scene. The error was discovered well after the scene was secured and updates were sent to the entire campus community. That notification was sent at 2:52 a.m.
Redundancies in our communications led to the residence hall director securing the area where the immediate threat was identified.
NAU Alert is an opt-in text notification system.
Noon update: Suspect Steven Jones is scheduled for an initial appearance in front of a magistrate this afternoon. He has been charged with the following felonies:
1 count first degree murder
3 counts aggravated assault
We have no additional details regarding the three victims being treated at the Flagstaff Medical Center.
NAU’s Counseling Services will be open tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Health and Learning Center.
The university is still gathering details on this morning’s incident. It is known that after the initial text alert, a residence hall director at Mountain View Hall called NAUPD at 1:24 a.m., verified the incident and then activated the public address system within minutes, telling all Mountain View residents to stay inside and lock their doors.
More details to follow.
10 a.m. update: The Northern Arizona University Police Department was notified at 1:20 a.m. of shots fired on north campus. Police were dispatched, the suspect was detained and the situation was secured at 1:22 a.m. Emergency services were on the scene by 1:33 a.m. to assist the victims.
An error during the deployment of the NAU Alert system resulted in limited distribution of the initial alerts, which were sent as a precautionary measure to notify campus of the situation. A final all clear message was sent to the entire campus at 2:52 a.m.
The investigation is ongoing. We will provide further updates as they become available. Check nau.edu.
8 a.m. update: The victims currently being treated at Flagstaff Medical Center have been identified as Nicholas Prato, Kyle Zientek and Nicholas Piring. The deceased student is Colin Brough. Further details will be released as they become available.
6 a.m. update: An isolated shooting incident occurred on the Northern Arizona University campus in Flagstaff early Friday. The suspect was apprehended and the scene was immediately secured following report of the incident to the NAU Police Department. One person is deceased and three victims are being treated at the Flagstaff Medical Center.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by this incident. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and our entire Lumberjack family,” said NAU President Rita Cheng. The president’s full statement is available here.
The incident took place in a parking lot on the northeast end of the Flagstaff Campus. The first call of shots fired came in at 1:20 a.m.
NAUPD Chief Greg Fowler said the suspect in custody is Steven Jones, a freshman at NAU. The campus police department is working closely with Flagstaff Police Department on this ongoing investigation.
Support services are currently available to our students through Counseling Services. Faculty and staff can seek support through Employee Assistance and Wellness beginning at 8 a.m.
A Family Assistance Center has been set up in the ballroom of 1899. Parents also may call (928) 523-0007 for information.
The Hot Spot in the University Union opened today at 6 a.m. to offer a place for students to gather.
The Office of Public Affairs will continue to update the campus community as details are released.
Prayer to all students and staff at NAU.
Parents of those effected would be contacted…correct?
My heart is breaking for the community–incidents like this send shock waves out far beyond direct victims present. I was Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at NAU 10 years ago, and all these years later I still feel part of this special and unique and vastly beautiful community. I grieve along with you all.
Prayers for all involved in this horrible incident. I’m glad the shooter in in custody. This is not something any parent wants to hear at 5:30 in the morning over 1700 miles away. I can’t be there to comfort my daughter. Special prayers for the victims and their families
This is really shocking and nerve racking, and heart goes out to all the families.
Wondering why the students and parents were not alerted and updated. My NAU student learned about it through friends and then looking online at the news. I was told there would be an emergency alert system when he enrolled at NAU. Even though this may have been an isolated altercation, with all the student shootings on campuses lately, there should have been some immediate communication. I saw it on the news this morning, otherwise would have had no idea.
It does not automatically enroll the students in the alert. IF they go to their LOUIE account they can sign up for the NAU alert texts that way.
Hope this helps
prayers to all..very dissapointed with notification to parents, text alert 2 hours after incident occured and stated there would be an udpate, almost 4 hours later and still waiting
The number provided is a recording and has no option to speak with a live person being a parent put of state this is not acceptable.Please provide a number we can use. Thank you. Tragic tragic news…
I just called the Parent Hotline to see what information parents could receive, and a live person answered. They must have got enough people staffed for it now or something. If you call the hall your student is in directly, I’m sure they will try to send the Resident Assistant for a check-in
I want to know if this young man lived in the dorms. Why and how did he have a gun? How can these incidents be prevented?
I was stunned to read that although guns aren’t allowed in the dorms, students are allowed to store guns in their cars! Why indeed.
During orientation, it was specifically stated that NO weapons, pellet gun or any kind of protection, were allowed on campu; in the dorm or in their vehicles. We considered because my daughter drives alone home and to her grandparents hours and mile away and I wanted her to be protected.
There has to be some way school can check vehicles and dorms, maybe dog sniffers? I realize that this is expensive but come on parents we should for most part no what our kids take to school. I realize they are adults and we don’t always know.
Better question Kelly, what parents send their kids off to college with a gun? My daughter is the second of three girls, to attend college and that was not on the supply list! My prayers go out to the families especially to the parents of the beautiful child that they lost, and my heart aches. While I am Pro Second Amendment rights I would never send my child off to college with any sort of weapon, this is not the Wild West this is Flagstaff Arizona, this should not be happening here, or anywhere else for that matter! I’m hoping that University will rethink this policy that allows students to keep their guns in their vehicles, and that any parent that are aware that their children have guns in their vehicles at NAU or any other campus will immediately request that the weapons be sent home or turned over to the authorities.
Allowing guns in vehicles on campus is not a University policy, it is a state law. It needs to be changed by the state legislature.
Prayers to the students and faculty that will need to deal with this new insecurity. Prayers to the family of the deceased and wounded.
Stay strong NAU!
Our prayers are with the students, parents and staff at NAU. So sad to hear of this at such a wonderful school!
My prayers go out to the families and all of the students. Be strong and courageous, Flagstaff community will overcome.
My french friends and family and me pray for this persons…
My thoughts are with NAU. I graduated 6years ago, and was a Sophomore the year the VT shooting happened. Never did I think such a tragedy would befall our beautiful campus! Stay strong Jacks!
I too like other parents found this out by looking at the news at 5 am local. I was able to contact my daughter who was up getting ready for work and she had just found out by seeing it on the news as well. She did not receive any alerts or warnings from NAU on this. Although it was called an isolated event, it can’t be deemed so at first. Once the call came in to the campus police it should have been put out to students at once. What’s the procedures NAU has and do they actually practice them so students and staff know what to do. There’s questions here that need to be answered.
I am a student here. At the beginning of the year we are all sent an email that gives directions to sign up for the alerts through email, text messaging or both. The students can send the same email to their parents so that they can also put in their information. I did this my first year here thinking it would be good for knowing about snow days. Never thought we would need it for something like this.
I have two daughters that go to NAU. One lives on campus and one lives off campus. They both got the NAU alerts about the shooting, the campus being on temporary lockdown etc.
My prayers go out to the shooter’s family and the victims’ families as well. I also pray that the students attending and living there find peace and support to get through this.
Lorrie
Alert system needs work. Thanks to the NAU head basketball coach for notifying my family about the incident.
I just called the number listed and was told that this happened at 1 am and that it’s business as usual. I only found out watching the news over breakfast! It’s not business as usual for a mom freaking out! I asked about protocol for situations like this and was told that no phone calls are made, we have to sign up for NAU alerts which I can’t because I don’t have a ID! I was able to get in touch with my daughter that dorms right there so I feel a little better but the flippant attitude I got when I called is not ok!!! My heart goes out to the parents of these students and pray for them all.
Our entire NAU family shares your sadness and we are devastated by the incident that occurred on our campus today. Signing up for NAU Alerts to parents or family members must be completed by the enrolled student by clicking on the registration box on this site: http://nau.edu/naualert/home/.
Prayers to the family of the deceased and wounded. Im a out state student Parent, and the NAU never notified this incident. That is unacceptable.
Parents of those involved were contacted, and the alert system notified everyone who signed up for the alert an hour after the incident for those not in immediate danger. Resident Assistants aided in keeping the halls on lockdown until the alert was put out. Like this update said, a Family Assistance Center has been set up in the ballroom of 1899. Parents also may call (928) 523-0007 for information.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims families today. May you all find peace. My heart goes out to you I lost someone who was part of my Lumberjack family and that’s an awful shame.
Sending Prayers to the NAU Community. I lived on Campus from 1982-89. What a truly amazing University NAU is!
My heart is heavy today. You hear about all these campus shootings and thank God that’s it’s not at your son or daughters campus. Today, it hit close to home. It was at my Daughters campus. Thankfully she was not involved. This is such a tragedy. My thoughts and prayers for these young men and their families. Stay strong NAU!
Really sad that another shooting is taking place on a university canpus. My prayers to the victims and their families and a plea for a gun control, at least on public places and educational establishments.
I called the parents line around 5:10 this morning. A young lady answered and was very helpful. She was distraught but tried to be helpful and informative. My heart went out to her for having to deliver such a difficult message.
Prayers and thoughts for all the Flagstaff area.
We are praying for victim families, friends and students at NAU.
I spoke to someone at NAU about the Alert System. I do not care if this is an OPT in system; In a matter of Life or Death that is illogical! Text students, set up an automated phone call, and notify parents. Don’t hide behind an OPT in system!!!
Stay strong! NAU is a great, safe school! Our thoughts are with you all!
My prayers go out to all the boys and their families. I pray that this kind of violence stops soon as I also heard of a shooting in Texas, today also. This is just sad and wrong.
I was pretty sure that I signed up for these alerts but didn’t find out about anything until out of state relatives started texting me asking about my daughter’s safety during this of tragedy. I must agree with Jessica, with something this serious there has to be a better way of letting there students families know.
I am mother of freeman boy, very, very scary, what happens today 10/9/15 in NAU and other school, college, make to think that any security never is enough, we came to college from every where,with different styles of life and think, we do not who’s around you, but I always tell my son after midnight in the street you not getting any good thing, nothing good is happening later at night. The Administration of NAU need to take one step more to enforce security in campus anything to prevent other tragedies. I am very sad with the family you lose.
Prayers and support to all families involved and our NAU family. Thank you NAU PD
My heart is heavy today for NAU and for the families of the shooting victims. My daughter is a freshman at NAU; 1900 miles away. My continued thoughts and prayers for NAU and all college campuses across our nation.
As a graduate of NAU I can not believe this has happened. I am in shock and my prayers go out to my school.
I send my prayers and thoughts too all students and families. I think we need to remember that living is a risk. To not live and experience would be a crime. We send our children to become adults. In college they are adults. You hope something like this would not happen but it does and will probably continue. I was a student at the UA when the College of Nursing had a school shooter. Please instead of finding fault with NAU that they did not notify you as fast as you would like. Support their success in keeping as many students safe as they did. Crisis intervention teams are being formed support them in the healing process. If you live close call and ask “how may I help?”
I understand parents will be concerned about their students… But do you honestly think the university has the responsibility to notify 10,000 parents about a shooting while they are trying to contact the parents of a deceased students and three injured students? They are doing what they can. Although, I don’t agree that they held classes today or tagter that their alert system is 100% kink free… To all you parents complaining about not being notified, go with the rule that no news is good news. I am positive the parents of the CHILD that was killed got called and notified right away. As an alumni and current parent I understand both sides. Stop blaming the university. Criticize them for their faulty systems and stupid decisions on holding courses, but they are doing their best with maintaining their students calm and helping them cope. It is a student centered university. No one is perfect… Not even the university.
My prayers to those involved and affected by this tragedy. My son, Duncan Goins, is a student at NAU. I have not heard from him and pray he is safe.