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A devastating car crash that tore through an after-school program building in the small city of Chatham, just outside Springfield, has left four people dead — including three children and one teenager, The Associated Press reported on Tuesday.
Authorities told AP that while the cause of the crash remains under investigation, initial findings suggest the incident was not a targetted attack.
The tragedy unfolded Monday afternoon when a vehicle drove across a field before slamming into a facility housing the Youth Needing Other Things Outdoors (YNOTO) program, which offers after-school care and summer camps, the report said, adding that the impact killed two 7-year-olds, an 8-year-old, and an 18-year-old. Six other children were hospitalised, with one still in critical condition as of Tuesday morning.
The driver, an Illinois resident, was not physically harmed in the crash and was transported to a hospital for evaluation. Authorities reportedly said toxicology results were pending, without confirming whether the driver had been arrested or formally taken into custody.
According to the report, police said in a statement that while the investigation is ongoing, the crash “doesn’t appear to be a targetted attack.”
The incident follows a string of recent global tragedies involving vehicles being driven into public spaces. Just two days prior, a car plowed through a crowd during a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver, British Columbia, killing 11 people.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called the loss of young lives “horrifying” and “deeply saddening.” “My heart is heavy for these families and the unimaginable grief they’re experiencing – something that no parent should ever have to endure,” Pritzker said, according to AP.
“My office is monitoring the situation and stands ready to offer any support needed.”
By Monday night, streets surrounding the crash site remained closed off, with police vehicles flashing emergency lights. The Chatham Police Department posted a message on Facebook requesting the community’s prayers. “A terrible tragedy has occurred here that has affected all of us,” the post read.
