A drive-by shooting occurred early on October 18 at 411 E. Green St., leaving one male victim injured and “not alert.” The incident took place around 12:34 a.m., prompting an immediate response from local law enforcement and an emergency alert to the public.
Incident Overview
The Division of Public Safety issued an Illini-Alert advising students and faculty to either evacuate the area or secure their locations. The Urbana Police Department, Champaign Police Department, and Illinois State Police were all dispatched to the scene.
Witness Accounts
Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunfire and described chaotic scenes as people hurried away from Green Street. Charlie Marks, a sophomore in Business, stated, “I heard a couple pops, and then everybody around me just started sprinting.” Jacob Castaneda, a senior in Business who was at Joe’s Brewery during the shooting, initially thought the noises were fireworks.
Response and Investigation
- 12:28 a.m.: Victim reported to be male and in critical condition.
- 12:38 a.m.: Joe’s Brewery and KAMS secured their entrances.
- 12:47 a.m.: An update confirmed police were continuing their investigation.
- 1:04 a.m.: A suspect was reportedly detained, although believed to have left the area.
- 1:50 a.m.: Authorities inspected a shattered window at Royal BBQ on E. Green St.
Continued Investigation
UIPD Chief of Police Matt Ballinger highlighted the active investigation status, indicating that officers were still on-site to gather more evidence. A shattered window at Royal BBQ became a focal point of their inquiry.
This is a developing story, and further updates will be provided as new information becomes available on this drive-by shooting incident.
