Bon Jovi launched their US tour in Omaha last night (February 18th) despite the recent school shooting which killed five students.

The band’s concert at NIU's Convocation Center had been in doubt following Steve Kazmierczak’s actions at the nearby Cole Hall in DeKalb last Thursday.

Kazmierczak shot dead five students and injured twelve before he was killed by Police on the campus of the town’s university.

"Your thoughts and prayers go out to them. It's a shocker, just devastating," frontman Jon Bon Jovi told billboard. "We were in the air at the time, so we didn't get any further than the airport.

“When we landed we were just told to get back on the plane and go home. But our crew and the stage and everything was there.

“Once things settled down they just packed everything up and headed to Nebraska. What else can you do?"

The band’s US dates are part of an extensive world tour which will see them head to Europe for a number of stadium shows this summer.

Jon Bon Jovi admitted that the band could extend their run in Europe “because of the state of the economy.”

(by Jason Gregory)