On May 21, 2020, at approximately 2:02 a.m., Champaign Police responded to the area of 200 S. Country Fair Drive for a reported shooting. Upon arrival, officers located a 25-year-old male victim, later identified as James K. Coleman from Rantoul, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police determined a group of individuals gathered at a nearby apartment. During the gathering, a physical altercation took place culminating in Mr. Coleman being shot and killed. Information obtained in the investigation has led to the identification of a suspect in this incident. The Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office obtained an arrest warrant for Keith L. Baker, a 24-year-old from Champaign, for the offenses of Murder and Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon. Bond on the warrant was set at $1,000,000.
On Wednesday, May 27, 2020, Baker turned himself in at the Champaign Police Department. Baker was transported to the Champaign County Jail where he awaits future court proceedings.
Although an arrest has been made, the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about this 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.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.