Dear campus community member:
We want to provide you with an update on a shots fired incident that prompted an Illini-Alert emergency notification on Oct. 9.
On Wednesday afternoon, University Police arrested the person who fired several gunshots in the 600 block of South Second Street, Champaign, on Oct. 9. Video from security cameras and automated license plate readers in the area provided key investigative leads.
More information about the arrest has been posted on the Division of Public Safety website.
Even though this person has been arrested, we must continue to emphasize the importance of following some basic safety tips at all times:
- Stay together. Do not walk alone at night. Travel in groups and in well-lit areas. Call 217-333-1216 for a SafeWalks escort if you need one.
- Be alert. Maintaining awareness of your surroundings is critical, especially when traveling at night. Wearing headphones or looking at your phone diminishes your ability to respond to your surroundings. Walk with purpose, and stay attentive.
- Trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Call police if something looks odd — we’re happy to assist, and even the smallest bit of information could prevent another crime.
- Watch out for each other. Call 911 immediately if you or someone else is in danger. The University encourages students to take appropriate action to protect others’ safety by reducing students’ fear of legal or disciplinary consequences to the victim or themselves. For more information, please review the Medical Amnesty and Survivor Protections.
- If you choose to consume alcohol, please be responsible. Remember your ability to respond is diminished by overconsumption of alcohol.
- Promptly report crime or suspicious activity. It is more likely that police will be able to identify and apprehend offenders when crimes are reported immediately. Reporting crime or suspicious activity can help to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
If you become concerned about a friend or yourself as a result of this incident, the Student Assistance Center (SAC) can help. Staff in the SAC are available Monday through Friday between 8:30-5 p.m. Additionally, the Emergency Dean Program provides a university administrator who is on-call to assist in health or safety emergency situations that occur after business hours and require an immediate university response. Call 217-333-0050 to reach the SAC or the Emergency Dean. Additional information about these programs and others is available at odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care.
Please take a moment to review these resources we have made available to keep you informed: