Mass Shooting At Party Near University Campus Leaves Teen Dead, 7 Injured: Police

BLOOMINGTON, IL — One person was killed and seven were injured — including several college students — in a shooting early Sunday at a party near the Illinois Wesleyan University campus in Bloomington, according to authorities. No one was arrested Sunday in connection with the attack, police said.

Officers were handling a call for service several blocks away when they heard gunshots around 1:30 a.m. coming from the 100 block of East Division Street, according to police, who said the officers arrived to find multiple victims.

“The shooting occurred during a party at a residence,” police said in an update posted Sunday on social media. “The injured victims included individuals affiliated with Illinois Wesleyan University, Illinois State University, other universities in Illinois, as well as individuals not affiliated with a college or university.”

The Victims

A 19-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities, who said her identity was being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Another victim, also a woman, was taken to a regional trauma center and initially listed in critical condition, but showed signs of improvement Sunday, police said, adding the other six victims suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

One victim who suffered serious injuries was a student at Quincy University who had traveled 180 miles with three other Quincy students to attend the party, Quincy President Brian McGee said in a statement published in full by WGEM.

Among the other victims are two Illinois Wesleyan students with injuries that were not life-threatening and an Illinois State University student who was treated and released from a local hospital, the schools confirmed Sunday.

“Our hearts go out to all affected by this tragic event,” Illinois Wesleyan said in a campus update Sunday. “There is no ongoing threat to campus.”

The Investigation

Police are continuing to investigate but believe the shooting was an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing threat to public safety, according to authorities.

Anyone who was in the area was asked to review home security camera footage, cellphone photos or videos, dashboard camera recordings, and social media posts or messages, police said.

To submit digital evidence, visit bit.ly/4ijwQKM. To share information with law enforcement, contact Detective Pedro Diaz at 309-434-2532 or Pdiaz@cityblm.org, or anonymously contact the Crime & Intelligence Analysis Unit at 309-434-2963 or CIAU@cityblm.org. People can also text the number 847411 by sending “BPDTIPS," then a space, followed by tip information, police said.