CHAMPAIGN, IL — University of Illinois police arrested an Urbana man and a juvenile after a late-night disturbance at Bousfield Hall in Champaign led to reports that two people were knocking on doors and threatening residents. Officers were sent to the residence hall around 11:15 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7, after a person inside the building reported that the pair had entered the hall and were acting strangely.
According to the University of Illinois Police Department, the suspects made vague threats that they had firearms. No guns were found when officers searched both individuals. The adult was identified as 20-year-old Davante Trass of Urbana. The juvenile was also detained and later released to a guardian under local screening procedures and state law.
Illini-Alert sent as officers secured the residence hall
Police said they issued an Illini-Alert emergency notice to students, faculty and staff while more officers responded to the building at 1214 S. First St. The alert was sent out out of caution as the situation unfolded and officers worked to secure the area.
Responding officers established a perimeter around Bousfield Hall while the investigation was underway. The residence hall is part of the University of Illinois campus, and the department said the goal was to make sure the situation was contained quickly while officers tried to identify the two people involved.
The university’s emergency notification system is used to share urgent safety information with the campus community. In this case, it helped alert people that police were responding to a potential threat at the residence hall late at night.
Security cameras helped police find the suspects quickly
Real-Time Information Center specialists reviewed security camera footage from the area and helped officers locate the two suspects. Police said the video review was a key part of the response because it allowed them to identify where the individuals were and direct officers to them faster.
Once the locations were relayed to responding officers, both people were detained shortly afterward. UIPD said the search that followed did not turn up any firearms, despite the threats reported by residents and the concern that the suspects may have been armed.
The department said investigators and RTIC specialists are still reviewing video from the area. Police are also asking witnesses or anyone with helpful information to come forward as the case remains open.
Davante Trass faces preliminary charges after the arrest
The adult suspect was taken to the Champaign County Satellite Jail and preliminarily charged with making a terrorist threat and criminal trespass to state-supported land. UIPD identified him as Davante Trass, 20, of Urbana.
The juvenile faced preliminary charges of making a terrorist threat, criminal trespass to state-supported land and obstructing identification. Police said the juvenile was released to a guardian in line with local screening protocols and state law.
Both individuals also received letters of no trespass, which bar them from all University of Illinois property. The university police department said those restrictions apply across campus property following the incident at Bousfield Hall.
University officials barred both people from campus property
The no-trespass orders mean the two individuals are no longer allowed on University of Illinois property. Police did not say how long the restrictions will remain in place, but the letters were issued after the late-night encounter at the residence hall.
Bousfield Hall is located at 1214 S. First St. in Champaign, and the incident took place in a campus housing setting where residents were reportedly approached at their doors. The report of threats involving firearms brought an immediate police response and led to the emergency campus alert.
UIPD has not said whether the two suspects knew the residents they allegedly contacted. The department’s statement focused on the police response, the arrests and the trespass orders that followed.
Police ask witnesses to share information with investigators
The investigation remains active, and police are continuing to gather evidence from video and potential witnesses. UIPD said members of the public who saw what happened near Bousfield Hall may be able to help investigators determine exactly how the confrontation developed.
Anyone with information can contact the University of Illinois Police Department at 217-333-1216. Witnesses may also remain anonymous through Champaign County Crime Stoppers by calling 217-373-8477, visiting 373tips.com or using the P3 Tips mobile app on iOS and Android.
For now, police say the immediate campus threat has been addressed, but the investigation is not finished. Officers are still reviewing evidence from the area as they work through the charges and the circumstances that led to the late-night response.
