Friday, NIU released a summary of the autopsy of Steven Kazmierczak, the Cole Hall shooter, and the victims, stating Kazmierczak had minute traces of drugs in his system.

In a public summary released Friday, the NIU Department of Public Safety released DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller’s findings in Kazmierczak’s autopsy.

The release stated Kazmierczak died of a contact-range gunshot wound to the mouth, which caused fractures of the skull and laceration of the brainstem.

Toxicology reports found less than 0.5 micrograms of nicotine, less than 0.025 micrograms of Alprazolam – an anti-anxiety medication often prescribed as an anti-depressant – and traces of a cold medication, Pseudophedrine.

According to drug information posted on www.walgreens.com, patients using Alprazolam should not smoke while using this medication. Cigarette smoking may decrease blood concentrations of the drug up to 50 percent, according to a Mylan Pharmaceuticals fact sheet.

However, the connection between the drug and cigarette smoking may not have been a factor in Kazmierczak’s actions Feb. 14.

“The amount of [Alprazolam] in his system was too low to make any difference,” said Byron pharmacist Ron Calvert. Calvert said doses of the extended-release medication typically vary from 0.25 milligrams to a maximum of 10 milligrams per day.

The five victims died from single or multiple gunshot wounds. The deaths of Catalina Garcia, Ryanne Mace, Daniel Parmenter, Julianna Gehant and Kazmierczak were confirmed by the DeKalb County Coroner.

Gayle Dubowski died at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, according to Winnebago County Coroner Elizabeth “Sue” Fiduccia.

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