Three men were killed and a toddler was critically injured Monday in a shooting at an apartment building on Riley Drive in Bloomington. There have now been seven fatal shootings in Bloomington-Normal in less than two months.
Police responded to reports of a shooting around 2:43 p.m. at a three-story apartment building at 311 Riley Drive, said Bloomington Police spokesperson Elias Mendiola. Three men were found dead at the scene. A 4-year-old boy was shot and in critical condition Monday night at a Peoria hospital, police said.
“Initially it was a chaotic scene, because you had other neighbors running through to the area,” Mendiola said.
No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting and the motive is unknown at this time, police said. Detectives were seen interviewing people Monday afternoon along Riley as groups of neighbors huddled around police tape cordoning off the apartment building.
“We have a lot of witnesses hopefully. This area is very condensed,” Mendiola said.
Riley Drive was closed at Mecherle Drive toward Bradley Drive. The area includes a row of apartments (Fairway Apartments), surrounded by many single-family homes. A shopping center with Dick’s Sporting Goods and other stores is located just to the south.
Ten years ago, two brothers were shot and killed in an apartment at nearby 333 Riley Drive.
Monday marked the fifth, sixth, and seventh fatal shooting in Bloomington-Normal since April 25. That’s when Joseph “Jody” Gardner and Reggie Hart were shot and killed at a Normal apartment complex, allegedly by a 17-year-old gunman. On June 10, Taneshiea Brown and Stephen Alexander were shot and killed in the backyard of a row of duplex apartments on Bloomington’s east side. No arrests have been made in those deaths.
Mendiola declined to speculate if there was any connection between Monday’s violence and other recent shootings.
“It’s still in the initial stages. It’s very early in the investigation. I couldn’t say either way,” he said.
McLean County Coroner Kathy Davis was on scene but declined to comment to GLT. The names, ages, and residences of the victims were not released Monday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact BPD Detective Tim Power at (309) 434-2579, Detective Brad Melton at (309) 434-2537, or Detective Steve Moreland at (309) 434-2359.
If you wish to remain anonymous, please call McLean County Crime Stoppers at (309) 828-1111.
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