NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — One person was injured and taken to a local hospital after a Sunday night shooting near the Bone Student Center on the Illinois State University campus.
At around 7:40 p.m. Sunday, Illinois State University Police received reports of shots fired during a registered student organization event at the Bone. The victim was not a student at the university.
The shooting occurred during a fight in the entryway outside of the event.
Classes will take place, but the Bone Student Center will remain closed Monday, Illinois State University released in a statement.
A text from the university’s police department said the suspect is a slender 5-foot, 10-inch-tall man with an afro and wearing all black, last seen running south from University and College streets.
A spokesman with the university told WMBD that classes will be held as normal.
In another text, the school warned people to stay away from North University and West Locust streets and the Bone Center, as police are still clearing the area. Several police squad cars filled the area, their overhead emergency lights illuminating the darkness.
Two students, Bobby Gospodinov and Ismael Samhan, were coming from a fraternity event when they walked past the Bone. They heard an account from one man who had just come from the Circus Room within the center participating in a line-dancing event ISU hosts on Sundays.
“They heard the gunshots go off, they saw everybody running,” said Samhan, recounting what the man told them. “They dropped all their stuff and they all ran out.”
As of 9:20 p.m., the university said there was no “shelter in place’ order but said the student center remains closed. They have asked anyone who had eyewitness information to contact campus police at ISUPolice@ilstu.edu.
No information as to how many shots, just that anyone near the area should be careful.
“A report of shots fired at Bone Student Center. If you are near this area, take precautions,” the release said.
No further information was made available.
