Two weeks after being an innocent victim in a drive-by shooting, Northern Illinois is apparently going home.
In a tweet from the DeKalb Daily Chronicle, the paper reports that Butler was released by the St. Anthony Medical Center as a patient Tuesday afternoon. What’s unclear is if Butler is going “home home”, or if he was released to some type of rehab facility.
Butler had undergone several surgeries and been in a Neurointensive Care unit in critical to serious condition since the April 5 shooting, but was upgraded to fair condition late last week.
Butler was visiting a friend’s apartment last week when two men allegedly drove by the complex and fired shots from a 9mm into the building, striking the linebacker once in the upper right back. The shooting allegedly stemmed from a drug deal gone bad earlier in the day. Police have stressed on multiple occasions that they believe Butler had nothing to do with the deal; instead, police believe Butler’s friend received drugs from at least one of the suspects without rendering payment.
Two suspects — NIU students Mark O. Orozco, 24, and Richard F. Van Arsdale III, 20 – are in custody and remain jailed on $1 million bonds. Both individuals have been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm.
It’s uncertain whether Butler, who finished second on the team in tackles and was named third-team All-MAC last year, will be available for the 2011 season.