On April 16, 2020, at approximately 2:13 p.m., Champaign Police responded to the intersection of South Country Fair Drive and West Springfield Avenue for reports of shots heard. Upon arrival, several shell casings were located in the roadway. At 2:20 p.m., officers were notified a gunshot victim, a 23-year-old male, arrived at a private residence in Champaign. Emergency medical personnel were called to the residence and the victim was transported to a local hospital with two non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
The preliminary investigation indicates an unknown subject – or subjects – fired from a vehicle striking the victim who was in another vehicle. Both cars were traveling eastbound on West Springfield Avenue. A nearby business and an uninvolved vehicle were additionally struck by gunfire, but no injuries were reported. There is currently no available suspect information and no arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing and future updates may be provided as they become available.
Approximately two and a half hours later, at 4:46 p.m., Champaign Police were called to the 2500 block of West John Street for reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located a 17-year-old male outside of a private residence with a serious gunshot wound. Officers immediately rendered first aid until medical personnel arrived. The victim was transported to a local hospital.
The preliminary investigation indicates an unknown subject approached and shot the victim in the street and is then believed to have fled in a vehicle. There is currently no available suspect information and no arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing and future updates may be provided as they become available.
At this time, it is unknown if these two shootings are related.
Anyone with information about either incident is asked to please contact police at 217-351-4545. Arrangements may be made for information to be shared privately. If you wish to remain anonymous you 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 up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for this crime.