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Neighbours near the house say the party was so quiet they didn’t even know a party was going on – there was no loud music or any disruptions.

“A couple of days leading up to this, Doug said he and Susan noticed a change in Matt, where he would go quiet,” said the police officer, who praised Insp. de Grood for being “just a top-notch person.”

“Then on that night, those texts (Matt) sent made them really concerned about his own personal safety, but nothing to indicate that he was a danger to anyone. Not ever. There was no indication that he was in the frame of mind that he would harm anybody,” said the officer.

“They never feared that he was ever going to hurt anybody other than maybe himself. No indication of that at all.

“This kid was a homebody. He had friends but he liked to stay home. He was successful and a good and gentle young man, by all accounts.”

De Grood graduated from the U of C with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in Law and Society, and was accepted into the university’s law school for the fall of 2014.

Doug and Susan saw him withdraw into himself but there was nothing for them to think that he could cause harm to anyone or that he was at risk to be violent

According to a health-care professional who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, de Grood was being treated for mental health issues dating back to his years as a high school student at St. Francis High School.

“In the weeks leading up to the event, Doug and Susan had noticed some subtle changes in Matt’s personality – him becoming a little more withdrawn but nothing that caused them grave concern. They’d be talking to him and he’d go silent,” said the police officer who has known Doug de Grood for decades.

“Doug and Susan saw him withdraw into himself but there was nothing for them to think that he could cause harm to anyone or that he was at risk to be violent. Why would they?” asked the officer.

“He was a really gentle and kind young man. This is totally out of character for him. The whole family is devastated by this, for the families of the young people killed. Totally devastated. Shattered. We all are.”

The mass slayings has drawn a steady stream of friends and residents to a growing makeshift memorial close to the Brentwood home where the tragedy took place.