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July 9, 2008 6:59:04 AM CDT

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Police Can't Find Motive in NIU Shooting

Posted Feb 20, 08 8:53 AM CST in US,  Crime & Courts    Most Covered

(Newser) – The student who killed five at Northern Illinois University last week took pains to stump investigators ahead of time, police say. Steven Kazmierczak pulled his computer’s hard drive and his phone’s SIM card; he also revealed little in a package to his former girlfriend. "The one thing I want to know is motive," NIU Police Chief Donald Grady said today. But he couldn't "even begin to assume a motive yet."

Cops also blame Kazmierczak’s ex, Jessica Baty, for clouding their probe, saying she gave conflicting stories to police and CNN—first saying he had been acting erratic, then saying he hadn't. “I suppose you could call that being uncooperative,” Grady said. He added that the investigation will continue for at least 3 more weeks, regardless of cost to the university.

Source Chicago Tribune

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In this image made from TV and provided by CNN, Jessica Baty, former girlfriend of NIU shooter Steven Kazmierczak, talks to CNN on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008 in Wonderlake, Ill. Baty's story as told to CNN...   (Associated Press)
Northern Illinois University sophomore and shooting victim Samantha Dehner, left, arrives at a press conference at Kishwaukee Community Hospital with registered nurse Pamela Duffy on Monday, Feb. 18,...   (Associated Press)
NIU gunman Steven Kazmierczak seems to have hidden any trail leading to a motive, having removed his computer's hard drive and his phone's SIM card. (AP Photo/University of Illinois)   (Associated Press)
This undated image obtained from a MySpace webpage shows NIU gunman Steven Kazmierczak, who seems to have covered any trail to discovering a motive for the shooting. (AP Photo)   (Associated Press)
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Northern Illinois University  • Steven Kazmierczak  • campus shooting  • Jessica Baty


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