‘Indignant’ by the latest school bus shooting | New

CHAMPAIGN – Police have no new information on a shooting in the north of the city Thursday afternoon that left a man slightly injured and parents, staff and students of Unit 4 were frightened because a yellow school bus was hit by a single blow.

But Acting Deputy Police Chief Nate Rath said police were “100 percent certain” the shooting took place among people involved in an “ongoing domestic feud” who know each other and that the school bus and its occupants were unfortunate collateral victims.

He declined to say whether the target, a 34-year-old man who allegedly caused the sinking of three vehicles within minutes of the shooting, was cooperating with police.

Rath was one of many local officials who attended a brief press conference at the Unit 4 administrative offices on Friday afternoon to denounce those who are diminishing the quality of life in the community with gunfire.

Mayor Deb Feinen reiterated a post she had previously shared publicly.

“Gun violence in our neighborhoods, downtown, on campus and everywhere else in our community is not acceptable. We cannot continue to allow a small group of individuals to define our community, ”she said. “It is inconceivable that anyone cares so little about human life that this could happen.”

But it has happened – for at least the 181st time in 2021 within city limits.

This is the number of cases, roughly speaking, where the police have been called and can confirm that someone has fired a gun. There were 11 gunshot deaths, dozens injured and extensive damage to vehicles and homes, not to mention nerves.

Unit 4 superintendent Shelia Boozer, recently transplanted to Champaign from Springfield, said she was “discouraged” and “outraged” by the violence and said that although no students or staff had been physically injured on the bus on North Neil Street near Arcadia, they were “emotionally impacted.”

Three children were on the bus when the shooting took place around 2:50 p.m.

“We cannot allow our children to function in chaos, division and discord. We want to focus our energy on teaching and learning, ”she said, adding that it’s difficult if students don’t feel safe.

“We need everyone in the community to come together to solve this problem,” she said.

Boozer listed several security measures Unit 4 has put in place at its middle and high schools to help.

These include increasing the number of security guards in these five schools, security vehicles patrolling the perimeter of these schools, the installation of around 515 security cameras, increased security during sporting events. to prevent anyone from bringing in weapons, metal detecting wands used in schools on random days to boost security, setting up a tip line and a “see something, say something” app For students, the use of a common identification badge for staff and students for all middle and high schools and student advocates and additional monitors.

She encouraged parents to keep an eye on their children’s use of social media, as it is often the seed of conflicts that spill over into schools and the community.

Boozer said his staff met weekly with Champaign police and representatives from AGB, with whom the district contracted for private school security after Champaign police had to withdraw from the officers’ program. school resources due to a lack of staff.

The police department is currently down by about 24 officers, but the city is taking action to try to shorten the hiring process.

Acting Police Chief Matt Henson said the patrollers continued to conduct guided before and after school patrols each day.

“As service calls allow, we always answer schools when they call us,” Henson said.