Vehicle smashes through Illinois building, killing 4 young people and injuring others

CHATHAM Ill AP A car smashed through a building Monday afternoon killing four young people and injuring several others during an after-school plan in a small city outside of Springfield Illinois police declared Officers responded at about p m to calls about a bus ramming through the building fatally hitting four people before exiting the other side Chatham Police Department Deputy Chief Scott Tarter mentioned Those killed were between the ages of and Illinois State Police commented in an emailed declaration Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon identified the casualties as female students saying their identities will be disclosed after family members are notified Several other people were hurt and taken to hospitals It wasn t right now known what led up to the crash or whether it was intentional It s is one of several up-to-date instances of people driving vehicles into groups of people across the globe Only two days earlier a car plowed through a crowded street during a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver British Columbia killing The Illinois driver who was uninjured was the sole occupant of the van and was taken to a hospital for evaluation Tarter revealed Police haven t declared if the driver was arrested or taken into custody I am horrified and deeply saddened by the deaths of children and numerous injuries in Chatham this afternoon Illinois Gov JB Pritzker stated in a report My heart is heavy for these families and the unimaginable grief they re experiencing something that no parent should ever have to endure He explained his office was monitoring the situation and was ready to lend help The struck building and facilities house Youth Needing Other Things Outdoors which holds after-school programs and summer camps according to its website As evening fell police cars with lights flashing still blocked streets leading to the building On its Facebook account the Chatham Police Department solicited for prayers A terrible tragedy has occurred here that has affected all of us the message ended