URBANA, Illinois – The University of Illinois Police Department has concluded that the Jan. 20 death of a student was accidental and has worked to take remedial actions. Akul Dhawan, 18, was found deceased in the 1200 block of West Nevada Street, Urbana, just after 11 a.m. Jan. 20. The Champaign County Coroner later ruled […]

BOSTON – When the Fighting Illini men’s basketball team takes the court Thursday night in a Sweet 16 matchup, there will be two sets of extra eyes and ears in the crowd looking out for the safety of the players, coaches and fans. University of Illinois Police Department Assistant Chief Joe McCullough and Lieutenant James […]

URBANA, Illinois – Campus was deemed safe Wednesday evening after University of Illinois Police investigated a suspicious package at Mumford Hall, 1301 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana. At about 5:43 p.m., a UIPD patrol officer was approached by an Illinois employee who reported that an unusual package was present near an entryway to the building. An […]

URBANA, Illinois – University of Illinois Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Jan. 20 death of Akul Dhawan, a student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Information collected so far supports the initial belief that the death was accidental, and no foul play occurred. Mr. Dhawan, 18, was found deceased at about […]

URBANA, Illinois – University of Illinois Police are investigating after an 18-year-old U. of I. student was found deceased Saturday morning in the 1200 block of West Nevada Street, Urbana. Preliminary information suggests that there was no foul play involved, and the death is initially believed to be accidental. The investigation is ongoing, and the […]

URBANA, Illinois – At 12:21 p.m. Saturday, University of Illinois Police responded to the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center after it was reported that someone displayed a firearm during a dispute. No shots were fired, and no one was injured. People at the I Hotel, 1900 S. First St., Champaign, self-evacuated when they heard […]

Ballinger was hired as a police officer in 2004. During his nearly 20-year tenure at Illinois, he has served in multiple leadership ranks and several special units, including as METRO SWAT commander, an instructor on appropriate use-of-force techniques, and as a field training instructor for new officers.

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois — Local police, including the University of Illinois Police Department, are holding a friendly competition as the holidays approach to put meals on the tables of local families. Departments are “competing” to see which can bring in the most food donations, all of which will go to the Eastern Illinois Foodbank. The University […]

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – A shooting at a large house party just off campus Sunday morning injured one U. of I. student and prompted an Illini-Alert emergency notification. At 4:20 a.m. Sunday, multiple 911 callers reported that shots had been fired outside of a large house party in the 600 block of South Third Street, Champaign. […]

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – University Police are investigating after an attempted retail theft Thursday morning at an off-campus convenience store resulted in a store employee receiving non-life-threatening stab wounds. The incident prompted a campuswide Illini-Alert notification sent to all students, faculty and staff. Police initially were called at 3:53 a.m. Thursday by a store employee at […]