A statement from the family of Steven Kazmierczak, who shot and killed five Northern Illinois University students on Thursday before killing himself. The statement was posted on the door of Kazmierczak’s sister’s home in Urbana, Ill.:

“Our heartfelt prayers and deepest sympathies are extended to the families, victims, and all other persons involved in the NIU tragedy.

“We are both shocked and saddened. In addition to the loss of innocent lives, Steven was a member of our family. We are grieving his loss as well as the loss of life resulting from his actions.

“As a result of our family’s extensive grief, we will not be making any additional statements to the news media. We respectfully request the media honor our family’s wish and recognize our grief following this tragic event.”