On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at approximately 11:11 p.m., Urbana Police Department officers responded to the 1200 block of Brookstone Court following reports of shots fired. Officers secured the scene and began an investigation, during which approximately 30 spent shell casings were recovered.
A short time later, an 18-year-old female walked into Carle Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. Through the investigation, officers determined that she had been shot in the parking lot of the apartment complex in the 1200 block of Brookstone Court. Her current condition is not being released at this time.
As the investigation progressed, Urbana Police Department detectives executed multiple search warrants that resulted in the recovery of four firearms. One of the recovered firearms was equipped with a "switch" attachment, an illegal conversion device that transforms a semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic weapon.
The investigation, which included foot pursuits, resulted in the arrest of five individuals. Issaiah Tapscott, 20, was preliminarily charged with possession of a machine gun and resisting arrest. Martell Johnson, 19, was preliminarily charged with possession of a machine gun and resisting arrest. Joel Hayes, 19, was preliminarily charged with possession of a machine gun and resisting arrest. Brendon Brown, 18, was preliminarily charged with possession of a machine gun and resisting arrest. A 17-year-old juvenile was also arrested on a preliminary charge of possession of a machine gun.
The Urbana Police Department extends its appreciation to the Champaign Police Department, Champaign County Sheriff's Office, University of Illinois Police Department, and Illinois State Police for their assistance during this investigation. We are thankful for the working relationships we have with all local agencies.
These are preliminary charges. Formal charging decisions will be made by the Champaign County State's Attorney's Office following a review of the facts and evidence. All individuals charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This investigation remains active. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Urbana Police Department at (217) 384-2320. Anonymous tips may also be submitted through Crime Stoppers of Champaign County at (217) 373-TIPS (8477).
Community members are reminded that information submitted to Crime Stoppers is completely anonymous. Calls are routed to a third-party national call center that receives your information, completes a tip information form, and then passes the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Caller ID tracking is not utilized by Crime Stoppers, and conversations are not recorded.
Crime Stoppers will pay cash rewards of $5,000 for tips that lead to an arrest in any homicide case, $2,500 for tips leading to an arrest in a felony crime involving a firearm, and up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for any other crime.