Authorities said Tuesday they’ve arrested a 19-year-old from Chicago in connection with the April shooting at Illinois State University’s Bone Student Center.
Emir Thomas was arrested Tuesday in Chicago with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals, the ISU Police Department said in a statement. Thomas was arrested on a warrant charging him with attempted murder and two weapons charges.
Thomas is accused of shooting another person April 27 outside a sorority event being held at the Bone Student Center. The victim, who was not a student, was injured but survived. ISU Police said Thomas has “no affiliation with Illinois State University” other than being at the Bone that night.
Police released security-camera photos of someone they subbed a “person of interest” within a day of the shooting. It’s unclear how long Thomas has been the suspect but remained at large.
ISU Police said they “reviewed hours of public safety camera footage, examined evidence, interviewed numerous witnesses, and consulted closely with the Illinois State Police and McLean County state’s attorney’s office leading to the arrest.”
“We recognize that waiting for the full results of an investigation can feel uncertain and unsettling,” ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff said in a statement. “Throughout this process, our community’s safety and well-being have remained our highest priorities. I want to thank our officers, dispatchers, and our law enforcement partners for their diligence, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the safety of our campus community.”
The April 27 incident was the second shooting on or very near campus during the 2024-25 school year. A previous shooting happened Sept. 29, 2024, during ISU’s homecoming weekend. One person was killed and another injured in that incident. A Chicago teenager was charged in that case.
