Palatine Native Not Far From Paris Club Under Attack

A Palatine college student was not far from the music venue where nearly 100 young people died in last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris, according to the Daily Herald.

Daniel Leahy, 20, a Fremd High School graduate, is part of a study abroad program through New York University and was in his dorm room in Paris when news broke of the the deadly attack at the Bataclan, which is just three block from his dorm, the newspaper reports. Leahy’s dorm was placed on lockdown and extra security was added to the building’s entrances, according to the article.

He sent his mom, Lisa Leahy, updates over Facebook messenger to let her know he was OK. Leahy told the Daily Herald she was worried about her son during the attacks but added that she hopes the experience was a “growing up” moment for Daniel.

“It’s a new world these kids are living in now. It’s not just on TV. You’re living it. It’s real. And it’s not just in France. It can happen here in downtown Chicago. It can happen in New York,” Leahy told the Daily Herald, adding that her other son also studied abroad. “You just have to put your faith in God ... and every day, I’m just saying, ‘Please Lord, just look over my babies.’”

Read the full story on the Daily Herald.