Urbana, Illinois – A funeral service in Urbana, Illinois, took a dark and dangerous turn Friday when an attempted murder unfolded right outside the church doors.
Shortly after 12:00 p.m., in the heart of Urbana on the 1400 block of Dublin St., mourners had gathered to pay their respects and bid farewell to a loved one. However, what was meant to be a day of remembrance and closure quickly descended into chaos.
As the funeral proceeded inside the church, tensions allegedly brewed among some attendees. What began as a dispute within the sacred walls of the church soon spilled out onto the sidewalk, escalating into an alarming act of violence. One individual, caught in the grip of anger, brandished a handgun and unleashed a barrage of gunfire toward another person attempting to escape the turmoil.
Remarkably, the intended victim managed to evade injury. However, the safety of innocent bystanders was compromised as several bullets struck a nearby residence on the 600 block of E. Columbia Ave. in Champaign. Fortunately, no one residing in the house was injured.
Urbana Police were joined by their colleagues from the Champaign Police, the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, and the University of Illinois Police, orchestrating a coordinated effort to contain the unfolding crisis.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are treating this incident as a targeted attack. An investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with info on the attack is asked to contact detectives at 217-384-2320, with arrangements made to ensure your information remains confidential. For those preferring anonymity, tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers via phone at 217-373-8477 (TIPS), through 373tips.com, or via the “P3 Tips” mobile app.
Crime Stoppers is offering substantial rewards: $5,000 for information leading to an arrest related to this attempted murder, $2,500 for tips linked to felonies involving firearms, and up to $1,000 for information contributing to the capture of individuals responsible for other crimes.
