Man found shot in tent on Bloomington’s westside, police investigating

In a short news release issued on Tuesday  evening (Jan. 9), Bloomington’s police department has reported that it is investigating an apparent afternoon shooting.

Inside a tent in a wooded area near Wheeler Mission on the west side of town, responding officers found a 52-year-old man with what appeared to be gunshot wound.

Wheeler Mission is located north of 3rd Street on Westplex Avenue  just west of Rose Hill Cemetery.

According to the news release, it was around 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday when officers responded to the call. The news release says that witnesses heard several gunshots just before they called 911. The victim and the shooter are believed to have known each other, according to the news release.

According to the news release, the investigation will continue through the evening in an effort to find a suspect.

There’s no further indication in the news release about the condition of the victim, or whether he was transported to a hospital. However, the victim has reportedly died.

[Updated at 7:48 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2023: The Bloomington police department has confirmed that the victim was dead when he was found by arriving officers. Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson has released  videotaped remarks about the shooting: Facebook video.]