RANTOUL, Ill. (WAND) – People in a Rantoul neighborhood are nervous after five people, including a seven-year-old, were shot at a Fourth of July celebration Sunday.
"It has gotten out of hand,” Pat, who did not want her last name used over fear of her safety, said. "It is not good here in Rantoul. It has gotten worse since I lived on this street."
The life-long resident of Rantoul, Pat says the village she loves has gone downhill. To date, police have responded to about 25 shooting incidents. That includes calls where there were no victims, but evidence of gun fire was found.
"Innocent individuals may be injured or even killed,” Tony Brown, Rantoul Police Chief said.
Brown said his officers are working around the clock to solve the cases, including the incident on Sunday.
The chief said during that incident on South Maplewood Drive, five people were shot. Two of the victims – the seven-year-old and a 15-year-old – were taken to the hospital. Three other people were also grazed.
The chief said in the Sunday incident, and several others, those with information are not providing information. It is one of the reasons the village recently approved license plate readers to be installed across the town.
“We believe there are additional witness who know who shot at them and we also believe some of the victims know who shot at them,’ Brown said.
The goal of the readers is to get the criminals off the streets and protect the people of Rantoul.
"I lock my doors all the time,” Pat said. “I am sort of afraid to be outside sometimes."
Rantoul police say all the victims in Sunday’s shooting are expected to be okay.
Police say they are looking for a dark colored SUV. Anyone with information is asked to call police.
