Illinois authorities reported the death of four minors, three of which were children and one was a teenager, following a car crashing into an after-school center.
Law enforcement authorities said that despite the tragic development, it did not seem like the incident was a targeted attack. Illinois State Police are still investigating the issue, noting that the driver of the vehicle that crashed was not in custody as detectives are still waiting for the results of toxicology tests.
Car Crash Kills 4 Minors
In a statement on Tuesday, police said that they are still looking into the cause of the crash. Officials revealed that the driver of the vehicle was the sole occupant and was identified as 44-year-old Marianne Akers of Chatham.
The individual was reportedly hospitalized "for evaluation" but otherwise did not sustain any injuries from the crash. It was found that the driver was a food services employee who last worked at the Ball-Chatham School District in November 2022, according to NBC News.
The victims of the crash were identified as 18-year-old Rylee Britton, eight-year-old Ainsley Johnson, seven-year-old Alma Buhnerkempe, and seven-year-old Kathryn Corley. Officials pronounced all of the minors dead at the scene of the incident.
Read more: Grieving Family Files Lawsuit Following Cybertruck Crash in Piedmont That Killed 3 Teenagers
Ball-Chatham schools later revealed that all four of the victims were district students. In a statement, the district said, "In times like these it is important that we lean on one another for strength and support."
Other than the fatal victims, the crash also resulted in many other individuals getting injured. Right now, the extent of the injuries is unknown, but several people were hospitalized while one was airlifted from the scene of the crash, ABC News reported.
Remembering the Victims
When the vehicle crashed, it struck three individuals who were outside the YNOT (Youth Needing Other Things) Outdoors Summer Camp. When authorities initially assessed the situation, they described it as chaotic.
Law enforcement authorities added that the driver of the crashed car was being considered a suspect but no charges or arrests were announced. In a post on X on Monday night, Illinois gov. JB Pritzker said that the community just lost a group of "bright and innocent young people."
There were red ribbons tied in bows lining Main Street on Tuesday evening as hundreds of people gathered for a vigil in the town square. That was also where heart-shaped boards bore the names of the fatal victims of the crash and dozens of people signed messages on each one, as per the Associated Press.
