Naperville man arrested for firing gun in Champaign

A Naperville man was arrested in Champaign early Sunday morning on allegations he fired a gun during an intoxicated fight with his roommate, leading to their apartment building being evacuated and a SWAT team response.

Daniel J. Chang, 22, of 1416 Stonegate Road in Naperville, faces charges of unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated discharge of a firearm, police said.

Champaign police responded about 1:38 a.m. to an apartment in the 100 block of E. John Street near the University of Illinois campus to a report of an armed subject who had just fired a shot at his roommate, according to a news release.

Chang’s roommate, David Lu, 22, reported coming home from a bar and engaging in a physical fight with Chang that included one of the men displaying a knife. Chang reportedly fired a single shot at Lu through his bedroom door, police said.

Lu left the apartment unharmed and flagged down a passer-by, who contacted police, according to police.

The SWAT team was called to the scene to assist Champaign police officers in searching Chang’s building.

As a safety precaution, residents of the apartment complex and another nearby building were evacuated before the suspect’s apartment was searched. No one was harmed, and evacuated residents were kept in warm buses during the evacuation, police said.

After repeated attempts to gain access to Chang’s apartment, police entered the building and used a robot to find him. Chang was found sleeping in his apartment. He was arrested and transported to the Champaign County Jail. A gun and a knife were later recovered in the apartment by police, according to the release.

While police interviewed Lu, 22, about the fight, he reportedly “became agitated and began ripping up flooring and seating parts” of the police vehicle, police said. He was arrested on charges of criminal damage to property.

“Investigators believe that both parties’ use of alcohol may have contributed to these incidents,” said Rene Dunn, assistant to the chief of police for community service. “Thankfully, this was resolved safely and no one was seriously injured.”