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Jul 25, 2023

UI police issue alert after three unprovoked pepper

Editor Jeff D'Alessio is editor of The News-Gazette. His email is

Editor

Jeff D'Alessio is editor of The News-Gazette. His email is [email protected].

URBANA — After three incidents in a five-day span, UI police issued a Sunday afternoon community safety notice about unprovoked pepper-spray incidents in the Campustown area.

The incidents, with details provided by UI police:

— At 12:51 a.m. Sunday, a 26-year-old man reported being pepper-sprayed by an unknown person.

"The victim did not know where the crime occurred and was not able to provide information about the offender. It is believed that this incident occurred off campus, but within the Campustown area," police said.

— Around 12:24 a.m. Thursday, a 61-year-old man reported being pepper-sprayed after two people approached him in Scott Park (200 block of East Springfield Avenue).

The victim was not able to provide police with definitive suspect descriptions.

— A 41-year-old man reported being pepper-sprayed between 1-3 a.m. Wednesday while sleeping outside in the 800 block of South Sixth Street.

He was unable to provide a suspect description.

"This message alone is not necessarily an indication that crime rates on campus have increased or that a pattern of crime has emerged," UI police noted.

Anyone with information that can assist in the investigation is asked to call UI police at 217-333-1216.

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may also submit tips to Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477 or 373tips.com or via the free "P3 Tips" mobile app.

On the same day that the coroner's office identified the victim as Vincent R. Taylor, 34, of Champaign, Taneshia Brooks, 43, was arraigned on four counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated domestic battery.

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