LAPORTE — A local Northern Illinois University student is safely home in LaPorte. But she was outside Cole Hall minutes after the deadly shooting. She was on her way to class when she noticed police and students outside. She kept driving thinking there had been a fight.

That's until her volleyball coach called and told her there was a gunman on campus and she needed to go home.

To everyone's relief, Cassie Yates is back home.

"I just needed a big hug," said Melinda Yates who was happy to see her daughter Thursday night.

Cassie got a hug and a chance to think about the last 24 hours.

"I still really can't believe it happened," said Cassie, a sophomore at Northern Illinois University. "It's something you read about at other places but not where you go to school."

At 3:15 Thursday afternoon, police and ambulances were transporting people injured and killed during the deadly shooting at NIU's Cole Hall.

And Cassie was on her way to class.

"There were several police cars. And you know how kids crowd around in a circle when there's a fight? That's what it looked like from the street," she said.

Her volleyball coach called and told her there'd been a shooting.

"People were scattering and running everywhere. I just didn't understand what was going on," said Cassie. "I was just thinking, I have to get a hold of my boyfriend to come back and get me. I have to get a hold of him."

She got a hold of him and her mother.

"I was just stunned," said Melinda who hadn't heard the news.

Phone lines were jammed, so Melinda went to the university website to stay updated.

"I felt satisfied. I knew there was something happening. I knew she was OK," she said.

And she was able to verify for herself that Cassie was safe a few hours later.

"It's very scary, and I don't want to have to go through this again," said Melinda.

University officials have not said when classes will resume. Cassie says she's ready to get life back to normal.

Like school officials said during a news conference Friday, Cassie and her family don't think there is anything that could have been done to prevent the shooting.