Arrested the day after Northern Illinois linebacker Devon Butler was wounded in alleged drive-by shooting, two NIU students have been indicted by a grand jury, the DeKalb Daily-Chronicle is reporting.
24-year-old Mark Orozco was indicted on nine counts -- three counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, two counts of armed violence, two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one count of unlawful delivery of marijuana. 20-year-old Richard Van Arsdale III was indicted on seven counts -- two counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, one count of armed violence, two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm and one counts of unlawful delivery of marijuana.
All of the charges are felonies, and the pair would be facing at least 30 years in prison if convicted.
Police believe the shooting stemmed from a drug deal that had gone wrong earlier in the day April 5. It’s been stressed by police that Butler had nothing to do with the drug deal, and that he just happened to be visiting a man the suspects believed took marijuana without paying for the product.
Police also believe that it was Orozco who fired four shots into an on-campus apartment building.
Butler suffered a gunshot wound to his upper back and was hospitalized for two weeks before being released. He will, however, miss the entire 2011 season.
In 2010, Butler started every game for the Huskies.