On March 16, 2022, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Champaign Police responded to the 400 block of Ginger Bend Drive for a report of a shooting with injury. Upon arrival, officers located 25-year-old Brandon McClendon of Champaign suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds to the torso outside of an apartment. Officers rendered medical aid on-scene until McClendon could be transported to Carle Foundation Hospital. There, he succumbed to his injuries.
A canvass was conducted of the surrounding area which led officers to a nearby apartment building in the same block, where a crime scene was located. Following an investigation of the scene, on March 18, 2022, the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Cherell Ingram, 35, of Champaign with four counts of Murder and one count of Unlawful use of a Weapon by a Felon. Ingram is presently in custody at the Champaign County Correctional Center.
The Champaign Police Department would like to thank the community and the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance during this investigation.
Although an arrest has been made, the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with additional information 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.