Champaign, IL – University of Illinois Police are investigating a reported sexual assault that led to a large law enforcement response early Thursday morning at a vacant house on East Springfield Avenue.
According to University Police, officers were dispatched to 57 E. Springfield Ave. around 6:46 a.m. Thursday after receiving a report of a sexual assault that allegedly occurred earlier that morning. When officers arrived, several individuals were seen fleeing the property, which is scheduled for demolition and was believed to be unoccupied.
Police detained two people who ran from the scene and were told that multiple individuals remained inside, possibly with weapons. Due to the potential threat, additional officers were called in, and a perimeter was set up while police sought a search warrant as part of the ongoing sexual assault investigation.
The Champaign Police Department’s SWAT team later assisted University Police in executing the warrant. In total, eight individuals were detained. Three were arrested on unrelated Champaign County warrants: Chantel A. Coad, 41, of Urbana; Blake H. Conyers, 53, of Champaign; and Jeffrey M. Milner, 37, of Champaign.
The investigation into the reported sexual assault remains active. Authorities thanked multiple local agencies, including the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office and the Street Crimes Task Force, for their coordinated response.
Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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