NIU student among 2 injured in DeKalb AMC movie theater parking lot shooting: police

DeKALB – A Northern Illinois University student and a woman were injured during a shooting in the parking lot of AMC Market Square 10 movie theater in DeKalb Sunday, said DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd.

NIU spokesperson Lisa Miner confirmed Sunday that the university had been notified of the male student’s injuries that were not life-threatening. She deferred further comment to police.

Byrd said police responded to reports of gunfire at the theater, 2160 Sycamore Road, about 2:30 a.m. Sunday. A citywide emergency alert was sent about 3:49 a.m. informing the public a shooting had occurred and asked that people avoid the area.

The police chief said the shooting wasn’t affiliated with the movie theater itself, which was closed at the time. Police cleared the area by about 8:30 a.m., according to a second emergency alert message.

One man, an NIU student, was injured during the shooting and taken to OSF Saint Anthony’s hospital in Rockford.

“We have one male, he was shot in the lower extremities,” Byrd said. “He eventually ended up in Rockford with non-life threatening injuries.”

A woman also suffered injuries from shattered glass that were not life-threatening, Byrd said. Multiple bullet shell casings were found in the parking lot behind the theater and surrounding vehicles were hit.

“Right now it looks like it could’ve been a possibility of multiple shooters, maybe one or two,” Byrd said. “And then there were three vehicles that had defects in their vehicles consistent with a bullet.”

Police don’t yet know what may have caused the shooting. Byrd said investigators believe some people involved came from a party that had occurred earlier Saturday night at NIU’s Recreation Center on North Annie Glidden Road. The center closes at 6 p.m. on Saturdays, according to NIU’s website.

“It appears that it moved from there to this location,” Byrd said of the parking lot shooting.

Calls to the movie theater were not returned. Sunday showtimes are still listed as available, with the earliest showtime advertised to begin at noon, according to AMC’s website. The theater’s doors were closed and parking lot empty about 10 a.m. Sunday.

The shooting remains under investigation, though no arrests have been made as of 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Byrd said.

The theater parking lot and surrounding entrances were closed until about 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

“Detectives will be doing video canvass of the area,” Byrd said. Police also invite anyone with information about the shooting to call the DeKalb Police Department at 815-748-8400.

This story was updated at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, May 1, 2022 with a photo of the AMC Market Square 10 building and more details on the incident. An additional update was made at 12:55 p.m. May 1, 2022 with details from DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd. An additional update was made at 4 p.m. May 1, 2022 with comment from NIU officials.