Officers from the Champaign Police Department were dispatched to the intersection of E Green Street and Locust Street for a report of shots fired. While no victims have yet come forward as part of this incident, one area business received property damage from a stray bullet. Additionally, the incident’s proximity to the Champaign County Freedom Celebration warranted additional notification to the community, including an Illini Alert and subsequent media release.
An initial investigation reveals that multiple shots were fired in a parking lot in the 0-50 block of East Green Street, with witnesses reporting multiple subjects involved in the incident before leaving the area. Several shell casings were located in the parking lot along with other evidence, and officers continue to process the scene. The Champaign Police Department would like to thank the University of Illinois Police Department for their assistance in securing the area and rerouting traffic from the nearby community event away from the scene.
Officers are conducting a canvass of the surrounding area, but any resident or business in the nearby area with exterior surveillance camera systems is encouraged to notify the police department. It is believed video footage may be of investigative assistance. No arrests have been made at this time and the investigation is ongoing. Future updates may be provided as they become available.
Champaign Police ask that anyone who has additional information to please contact police at 217-351-4545. Arrangements can be made for information to be shared privately. 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.
Citizens are reminded 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 cash rewards of $5,000 for tips that lead to an arrest in any homicide case, $2,500 for tips leading to an arrest in a felony crime involving a firearm, and up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for any other crime.