ISU students reflect on campus safety after Nov. 1 shooting
Written by Natalie Boyd on November 6, 2026
NORMAL, Ill. — Following a shooting in the early hours of Nov. 1, Illinois State University students are reflecting on campus safety and how the university responds to gun violence in the surrounding community.
For some students, the shooting has not changed their perception of safety. Others say repeated incidents have made gun violence feel increasingly normalized.
Senior Hallem Ajibola said the shooting did not significantly change their perception of campus safety because incidents like this have become somewhat familiar.
Senior Joer Eisfelder shared a similar perspective, saying the shooting did not change how safe they feel on campus because it occurred off campus. However, Eisfelder said the frequency of gun violence in the area has affected how students view their surroundings.
“I feel like we have been desensitized to it, but it’s really bad,” Eisfelder said. “I accept at least one a year nowadays.”
Students also expressed concerns about how the university communicates with the campus community following incidents involving gun violence.
Ajibola compared the university’s response to that of politicians, saying students receive reassuring statements but do not necessarily see meaningful changes.
Ajibola said the university’s communication primarily consisted of a letter and an email. They also emphasized the impact an incident like this can have on the victim’s family and students visiting campus.
When asked how the university should approach campus safety in the future, Eisfelder said the university should focus more on student safety.
“I think they should focus more on actual safety than college kids getting drunk,” Eisfelder said.
Other students acknowledged that preventing every incident of gun violence may not be possible.
Junior Allie Holmes said the unpredictability of these situations makes them particularly frightening.
“There’s nothing they can really do,” Holmes said. “You can’t stop it from happening. You can only stop it when it’s happening. It’s just scary.”
As students continue to process the Nov. 1 shooting, their responses reflect broader concerns about the normalization of gun violence and the university’s responsibility to communicate with and protect its campus community.
