On Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, at approximately 9:32 p.m., a Champaign Police Officer responded to the 1200 block of W Beardsley Avenue after hearing apparent gun shots while on patrol, which was followed by a citizen report of shots heard in the same area. Upon arrival, officers located evidence of a shooting. Soon thereafter, Champaign Police learned an 18-year-old male victim arrived at a local hospital suffering from multiple non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
Champaign Police are processing evidence and actively working to identify the circumstances leading up to the incident. While the investigation remains in its early stages, this is not believed to be a random act of violence.
If any resident in the 1200 block area of W Beardsley Avenue has exterior home surveillance camera systems, please contact the police department. It is believed video footage from Tuesday evening may be of investigative assistance.
Future updates may be provided as they become available.
Police ask anyone who may have information or who was in the area at the time of the shooting to contact police at 217-351-4545. Arrangements can be made for information to be shared privately with police. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by phone at: 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Champaign Police reminds citizens that information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tips information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers and conversations are not recorded.
Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for this crime.