Jim Combs, a Harper College student who is transferring to NIU this fall, created the Facebook group at 4:30 p.m., an hour and a half after the shootings began.

"Like with any tragedy, you feel like you need to say something," said Combs, 19. "Since I'm going to be part of the family, I felt like there needed to be a safe haven for the students."

...Steve Ungar, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, said his cell phone service has been out since the shooting. He has kept in touch with friends only through Facebook and AOL Instant Messenger, a popular instant messaging program.

"I found out by Facebook that one of my friends was a victim, and she was in critical condition," Ungar said in an instant message.

Ungar found out through a chain of friends that the girl was shot. He looked up her Facebook page and saw that friends had posted messages wishing her a speedy recovery.

"I saw people writing things on her wall," said Ungar, referring to a Facebook feature that functions as an online bulletin board.