CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A shots-fired incident near Booker T. Washington STEM Academy led to a lockdown Monday morning after gunfire struck the school’s gymnasium, according to police and school officials. No students or staff were injured.
Police received multiple calls around 9:47 a.m. reporting shots fired in the area near the school. Officers from the Urbana Police Department, Champaign Police Department and University of Illinois Police responded and secured the area. As a precaution, the school was placed on lockdown while officers investigated.
The Champaign Unit 4 School District notified families by email at 10:48 a.m., informing them of the incident and the lockdown. A second email followed at 1:17 p.m., stating the situation had been cleared but that police would remain in the area as a precaution.
Throughout the day, police maintained an increased presence around the campus, with patrol vehicles stationed nearby and officers visible before dismissal.
Urbana Police, the lead agency on the case, said the school building was struck by gunfire, along with nearby townhouses. The impacted area of the school included the gymnasium. Parents and members of the public were not allowed near the gym, and officials restricted access to prevent photos or videos from being taken while the investigation continued.
The City of Urbana released its initial statement on the incident before 1:30 p.m., confirming that no one was hurt and that the case remains under investigation.
Two parents of students at the school spoke to our newsroom under the promise of anonymity, saying the incident was frightening but noting improvements in how the district communicated compared with past emergencies.
“As a parent, it’s scary to get that first message and not know exactly what’s going on,” one parent said. “But we did hear from the school fairly quickly, and the follow-up email helped ease some of that anxiety.”
Another parent echoed that concern, adding that visibility of police helped reassure families. “Seeing officers there all day made me feel better about sending my child back into the building,” the parent said. “Communication isn’t perfect, but it’s definitely better than it was a few years ago.”
School officials said classes continued as normal once the lockdown was lifted. Police are asking anyone who was in the area at the time of the shooting or who may have surveillance footage to contact the Urbana Police Department as the investigation continues.