Dear campus community member:

We would like to inform you of a crime that has recently occurred in the campus area and which police are now investigating.

This morning, at approximately 12:38 a.m., police responded to the 300 block of East Green Street, Champaign, after receiving multiple reports of shots fired. When they arrived, officers found four people who had been hit by gunfire and another person who was struck by a vehicle while running from the area. One person, a 22-year-old man who is not a university student, died from his injuries after being transported to the hospital. The other victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Preliminary investigation suggests that an argument took place during an apartment party. The argument transitioned outside, where a fight broke out and shots were fired. The victims, one of whom is a university student, were not involved in the fight.

About 30 minutes later, at 1:08 a.m., police received another report of gunfire in the 700 block of South State Street, Champaign. Upon arrival, officers found a victim who was transported to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Investigators believe the two incidents may be related.

Police continue to look for those involved in the shooting incidents, as well as the driver involved in the vehicle accident. The Champaign Police Department is leading the investigation, and the University of Illinois Police Department, Champaign County Sheriff’s Department and Champaign County Coroner are assisting to process the scene, review security camera footage and interview potential witnesses. Anyone who was at the party or who may have witnessed any of these incidents is urged to contact the Champaign Police Investigations Division at police@champaignil.gov or 217-351-4545.

Witnesses may remain anonymous by calling Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477 (373-TIPS) or by visiting www.373tips.com. Anonymous tips may also be sent via text message by texting keyword "CCTIP" plus the information to 274637 (CRIMES). Calls or messages sent to Crime Stoppers are scrubbed of identifying information and are answered by a third-party service, not the police.

Additional details will be released as the investigation proceeds.

Law enforcement agencies are working hard to find the person or people responsible for these crimes. The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs is providing support to the student who was injured and will provide counseling to any students who want to talk to someone in the coming days. Our campus community is a strong one, and our thoughts are with the victims, their families and anyone else affected by this violence.

Sincerely,

Jeff Christensen

Chief of Police

University of Illinois Police Department

   
     
   
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