Arrest warrant issued for suspect, 18, in deadly shooting near U. of I.

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(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

By Tony Briscoe | Chicago Tribune

Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for an 18-year-old Champaign man who is believed to be the gunman in a fatal shooting near the University of Illinois campus over the weekend.

The Champaign Police Department announced at a press conference Wednesday morning that they are working with area law enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service in the search for Robbie Patton for the alleged offenses of first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm in a shooting that killed a Mundelein man and injured three others.

Authorities said the shooting occurred after an argument that started in an apartment building in the 300 block of Green Street in an area known as Campustown. The argument became physical and spilled into a nearby parking lot early Sunday morning, where authorities said Patton fired the shots that killed 25-year-old George Korchev and injured three others.

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In April, Patton was convicted of aggravated discharge of a firearm and later sentenced to eight years in prison, according to Champaign police spokeswoman LaEisha Meaderds and Champaign County court records. Despite the sentence, Patton ended up serving time in boot camp and was released two weeks prior to Korchev’s shooting death, Meaderds said.

Police say they believe Patton is still in the Champaign area. They are still investigating whether there are other suspects in the shooting.

Though police earlier said they were investigating whether another shooting that occurred nearby 30 minutes later may have been connected, authorities said Wednesday they have found no information to confirm the two incidents are related.

A 25-year-old Urbana woman was shot in the leg in the second shooting, officials have said.

Anyone with information on the fatal shooting or Patton’s whereabouts is asked to contact Champaign police at 217-351-4545 or [email protected].

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