NORMAL, Ill. — At approximately 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29 officers responded to reports of a large crowd of students and others gathered at the gas station. Gunfire resulted in the death of 18-year-old Randall E. Glass of Oak Lawn, IL. Neither victim was affiliated with Illinois State University. Normal Police Officer Brad Park addressed the incident and how they are responding to it.
“It’s definitely a case that we’re working a lot of hours on currently,” Park said. “We did put out information today that if anybody was in the area and had video or any information to reach out to Normal PD, we would love to get as much information as possible.”
Park also discussed the pop-up party culture on college campuses, noting that such gatherings can lead to violence.
“Violence takes place in these situations when you have a large group of people gathering in one spot, along with alcohol and drug use,” Park said. “Especially when they’re not cooperative when asked to leave a residence, business, or public property.”
This incident was not the first pop-up party of the season; several other similar gatherings have occurred in the area. Park indicated that neighboring college towns have faced the same challenges, with police departments managing comparable situations. These pop-up parties have happened in Peoria, Springfield, Decatur and Champaign.
With no signs of the pop-up parties diminishing, Park discussed the police department’s plans moving forward.
“We’re doing a lot of debriefs about what we noticed over the weekend and how we can improve, clear up the situation quicker, and maintain control,” Park said.
Police urge anyone with footage or information about the incident to come forward, as it may assist in identifying the suspect. The Bloomington-Normal community continues to address the challenges posed by pop-up parties, striving to shut them down promptly upon arrival.