Shooting at Illinois State University’s Bone Student Center Prompts Emergency Response
Illinois State University issued an emergency alert Sunday evening after reports of gunfire at the Bone Student Center.
Authorities confirmed that one individual was wounded, and a manhunt was underway for the suspect who fled the area.
While police activity continued, the university clarified that there was no campus-wide shelter-in-place order. However, the Bone Student Center remained closed as officers secured the scene.
The initial alert, sent out around 7:55 p.m., warned of shots fired near campus and noted that the suspect could be armed and dangerous.
Subsequent updates described the suspect as a thin Black male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an afro hairstyle and dressed entirely in black.
Witnesses last spotted the suspect running south from the Bone Student Center toward University Street.
Students and attendees at a large sorority event inside the Bone recounted moments of terror, with some getting injured in the rush to evacuate.
Freshman Maya Serrano described the atmosphere as chaotic, while senior James Friedman shared that many sought refuge in nearby buildings, initially unsure of what was happening.
This incident marks the second shooting in the vicinity of University and Locust Streets within seven months.
Back in September 2024, a man from Chicago was charged in connection with a deadly shooting near the same intersection.
Investigators are now urging anyone with information about Sunday night’s shooting to contact the ISU Police Department.
The event adds to a concerning rise in violent incidents in Normal, Illinois, with two fatal shootings and multiple injuries reported throughout 2024.
