Booker T. Washington STEM Academy, nearby townhouses hit by gunfire

(WAND) - Booker T. Washington STEM Academy was placed on lockdown today after it was hit by gunfire.

The Urbana Police Department is investigating a shooting that happened in the 1400 block of Eads Street at 9:47 a.m.

Officers from the Champaign Police Department and the University of Illinois Police Department also responded.

No one was hit by gunfire. However, nearby townhouses at Hamilton on the Park and Booker T. Washington STEM Academy were both hit by gunfire.

Urbana police told WAND News one shot hit the east side of the school and did penetrate the building with evidence being collected from both outside and inside the school.

Between ten to 15 shots in all were fired. Urbana PD said no one at the school was the intended target. They are not sure whether the target was associated with the townhouses.

As a precautionary measure, Booker T. Washington Academy was put on lockdown.

Citizens in the area reported seeing a dark-colored SUV leave the area at a high rate of speed following the gunfire.

Preliminary information, including video surveillance, indicates that a

similarly described dark-colored SUV was observed with three unidentified individuals getting out of the vehicle prior to the gunfire and returning to it after the shots were fired, police said.

The incident remains under investigation. Police are asking anyone who was in the area at the time of the shooting and may have surveillance footage or other relevant information to contact the Urbana Police Department.

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