URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — In connection with a recent shooting investigation in Urbana, charges have been officially filed against four out of five individuals originally apprehended. The Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office released fresh insights into the case.
The Urbana Police disclosed on Wednesday that an 18-year-old woman had been shot the night before. Their inquiry into the incident prompted the execution of search warrants, during which officers discovered four firearms, including one with a switch, leading to the arrest of five individuals—four adults and a minor.
State’s Attorney Julia Rietz provided WCIA with information on the charges now being brought against the adult suspects:
- Resisting a peace officer
- Resisting a peace officer
- Obstruction of justice
The 17-year-old juvenile has not been formally charged at this time, Rietz said. She is also holding off on filing weapons possession charges pending forensic testing by the Illinois State Police.
Explaining the charges and the background, Rietz said the 18-year-old shooting victim reported hearing gunshots while she was in the Hamilton on the Park Apartments near Douglas Park. She ran but was hit in the arm by a bullet.
“When officers arrived, they found approximately 30 spent shell casings, numerous vehicles with gunfire damage, and gunfire damage to apartments 101 and 102,” Rietz said. “Based on the investigation, officers obtained search warrants for apartments in the complex. When officers went to execute the search warrants, four subjects exited the back door of the apartment and ran. Officers ordered them to stop, and they fled in violation of officers’ lawful orders to stop.”
Rietz said the four adults were arrested after foot chases through backyards and into another home. The 17-year-old was found inside the apartment the adults left.
She added that inside, officers found 22 rounds of ammunition inside a 50-round box. In the laundry dryer, officers found a backpack containing a Ruger SR40 and a Glock 19, the latter of which was equipped with the switch.
“Officers obtained DNA samples from each of them. Officers obtained swabs for gunshot residue testing from Hayes, Brown and the juvenile,” Rietz said. “When Tapscott was in the backseat of the squad car, officers explained the gunshot residue testing to him and he urinated and shifted his body and hands side to side in the puddle of urine, presumably to defeat the testing, the basis of the obstructing justice charge.”
The guns and DNA samples will be tested by the Illinois State Police, and the lab results may lead to further charges.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is encouraged to contact the Urbana Police Department or Champaign County Crimestoppers.
Court documents indicate Brown, Hayes, Johnson and Tapscott will appear in court Thursday afternoon for arraignment. Prosecutors are not seeking to detain any of them in connection with the investigation, but prosecutors have filed a petition to revoke the pretrial release Johnson was granted in a separate felony case. He is facing charges of possessing a stolen vehicle, burglary and resisting a peace officer.