The Champaign Police Department is seeking the community’s support and assistance regarding information on two shootings that occurred Friday evening.
The first incident occurred at approximately 9:07 PM in the 2000 Block of Cynthia Drive, where a 25-year-old male victim was shot and sustained a non-life-threatening injury. The victim was ultimately treated and released from the hospital and a motive for the shooting remains unclear at this time.
A second shooting occurred at approximately 9:20 PM in the 500 Block of W. University Avenue. Preliminary investigation suggests that as a basketball game ended at Central High School, a large group of individuals moved outside of the school for a potential fight.
As the crowd moved southeast of the school, gunfire erupted and injured three female victims: a 15-year-old from Danville; a 17-year-old from Champaign; and an 18-year-old from Champaign. Based on information provided to Police, all three of the gunshot victims have been treated and released from the hospital.
In addition to the above listed injuries, police can also confirm that one unoccupied vehicle and a window to the school were damaged due to the gunfire.
Police currently have no information to suggest that there is a further threat to the school. As a general precaution, Champaign Police will have an increased presence at Central High School over the next week, and as needed, to provide an extra layer of security and support for youth, families and the school body who will continue to be impacted by this incident.
Champaign Unit 4 School District will offer counseling and crisis team member support to students and staff at Central High School, and additional Unit 4 schools will provide support services to any other students that may have attended the game.
The investigation into these incidents is on-going and at this time, it is still unclear if the two incidents are connected. Police ask that if you have information or security camera footage that may be related to either incident, to please contact the Champaign Police Department. Additionally, if you are an adult or student from Champaign or Danville and have information or cell phone footage related to the shooting near Central High School, please call the Champaign Police Department at 217-351-4545, or email your name and contact information to [email protected].
Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers by phone at: (217) 373-8477 (TIPS); online at www.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 up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest.