by Michal Szczepaniak
The Champaign Police Department released a report on January 5th addressing a 50% decrease in shooting incidents between 2021 and 2022. A shooting incident is counted as any time police officers find evidence of a gun being fired.
There were 259 shooting incidents in champaign in 2021, with that number dropping to 129 in 2022. The report states the department's three key priorities for last year were reducing gun violence, increasing community engagement, and addressing quality of life concerns.
University of Illinois senior Maya O'neill was returning to her green street apartment last august when she got an Illini alert about a shooting incident just down the street. She says she was glad the necessary precautions were taken to protect students and community members alike.
"I do feel safe on campus for the most part. A lot of times, Illini alerts are sent out, I feel, in like a timely manner. I think that's important so people know to avoid scenes and certain places if there are crimes going on or anything suspicious going on," she said.
The city is actively working with several community partners to address the causes of violence in the city and provide support for families who are struggling.
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