Youths Struck Down in Illinois After-School Tragedy

A terrible event unfolded in Chatham, Illinois. A car crashed into a building where young people were gathered. Four young lives were lost. Three were outside, and one was inside the building. The ages of the victims ranged from 4 to 18 years old. The incident occurred around 3:20 PM. A car drove into the east side of the building. It went through the building and exited through the west wall. Several other young people were hurt. One person was so badly injured that they had to be taken to the hospital by helicopter. The driver was alone in the car. They were hurt and taken to the hospital. It is not clear if the crash was on purpose. The police are still looking into it. The village of Chatham is about 12 miles south of Springfield. It has over 14, 000 people. The building that was hit is used by the YNOT After School Camp. It is located near a city water tower and a park. The camp was started by a couple from Springfield in 2002. Their goal was to keep children active and engaged during the summer. The local police called the event a "terrible tragedy. " They asked for prayers for the Chatham community. The governor of Illinois, J. B. Pritzker, said he was keeping an eye on the situation. He asked people to support the community as they waited for more information. It is a sad reminder of how quickly life can change. It is important to think about the safety of young people. It is also important to support communities that go through such tragedies.