Fatal Mass Shooting Outside Off-Campus Party in Bloomington
Far too many young lives have been impacted by senseless shootings,
Glenbard High School District 87 Supt. Jessica Santee said after a deadly mass shooting unfolded early Sunday morning. Jessica Santee described the shooting as tragic
and said the district was deeply saddened
by the impact it has had on the community. It is heartbreaking that our communities continue to face tragedies like this,
she added. A 19-year-old woman was killed and seven other people sustained injuries when gunfire erupted during a Halloween weekend party in the 100 block of East Division Street in Bloomington, Illinois. Bloomington Police Department officers were responding to a separate call blocks away at approximately 1:23 a.m. when they heard shots fired and rushed to the scene.
Bloomington, IL-Mass shooting near the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University. 19-year-old killed, 7 others hurt in Bloomington shooting near Illinois Wesleyan, police say https://t.co/86vrDIZLwx
Investigators secured the area with assistance from the Illinois State Police and the McLean County Sheriff’s Office. First responders administered life-saving measures at the scene, but the 19-year-old victim was pronounced dead. The McLean County Coroner’s Office plans to release her identity and preliminary autopsy results after notifying her relatives, according to 25News Now. Among the survivors, a woman transported to a regional trauma center in critical condition is now showing signs of improvement, police stated Sunday night. Six additional victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
University Communities Impacted Across Illinois
The victims include students from multiple higher education institutions across the state. Two of the wounded individuals are students at Illinois Wesleyan University, school officials confirmed in a statement on IWU’s Facebook page. Illinois State University Police reported that an ISU student was also injured, treated, and subsequently released. Quincy University announced that one of its students was among those shot, though that student’s medical condition is not known, according to WGEM TV in Quincy. In suburban Carol Stream, Village Trustee Mary Frusolone stated that two of the victims are recent graduates of Glenbard North High School. Illinois Wesleyan University officials announced they are coordinating closely with local authorities and offering counseling services to support students through the aftermath, noting in their statement: We encourage students to utilize these resources and lean on one another as our community navigates this difficult time.
Active Investigation and Public Appeals for Evidence
No arrests have been made as the investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Bloomington police officials scheduled a news conference for 11:30 a.m. Monday to provide further updates. Investigators are urging residents, party attendees, and anyone who traveled through the neighborhood between Center Street, Franklin Avenue, Emerson Street, and Apple Street to submit home security footage, dash camera recordings, or cell phone videos. Local resident Megan Patterson told 25News Now that she woke up to flashing police lights and reviewed Ring camera footage showing individuals running toward a nearby Kroger grocery store around the time of the gunfire. Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact Detective Pedro Diaz at 309-434-2532 or via email at Pdiaz@cityblm.org.
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