UPDATED: 18-year-old woman hospitalized after shooting at Bradley University

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A man was arrested, and an 18-year-old woman was hospitalized after an early morning accidental shooting at Bradley University.

Edward A. Traywick Jr, 19, of Lansing, who is not affiliated with the university and was just a guest, was arrested on charges of unauthorized use of a weapon, possession of a firearm under 21, reckless discharge of a weapon and no FOID, school spokeswoman Libby Derry said.

At 2:14 a.m. on Oct. 19, Bradley University and Peoria police departments were called to a report of a shooting on the third floor of Geisert Hall, a Community Advisory Alert from the school said.

When police were on their way, they stopped a vehicle with four people inside, when they found the woman inside with a gunshot wound to the abdomen and took them to the hospital, the alert said.

She was also not a student at the school, and the release said she was in stable condition.

Two other people in the car were questioned but were released by the police, the release said.

“Bradley University Police and our campus safety partners remain committed to maintaining a secure environment for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. We understand that incidents like this can cause concern, but we want to assure the campus community that this was an isolated event and there is no ongoing threat,” the release said.

Bradley University President James Shadid also released a statement saying how he was “deeply concerned” about the events that transpired.

I am deeply concerned about the incident that occurred early this morning in Geisert Hall. While this was determined to be an accidental shooting and while neither the shooter nor the victim are Bradley students, I recognize that any event involving a firearm on our campus can understandably cause fear and concern. Please know that the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff remain our highest priorities.

Guns are not permitted on Bradley University’s campus, and we take any violation of this policy with the utmost seriousness. The individual responsible is in custody, and the appropriate legal and university consequences will follow. There is no ongoing threat to our campus community.

I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the Bradley University Police Department, the Peoria Police Department, and the Illinois State Police for their swift and professional response. Their immediate coordination ensured that the situation was contained quickly and that our community remained safe.

Bradley University is a community built on care, respect, and accountability. We will continue to uphold these values as we work to ensure a safe environment for all.
Bradley University President James Shadid

As of late Sunday morning, he remained in the Peoria County Jail, according to jail records.