College cheerleader was visiting friend when she was gunned down during Halloween party mass shooting

A 19-year-old college cheerleader has been identified as the woman killed in a mass shooting at a Halloween party near an Illinois university that left nine other people injured.Giana Dettloff, a freshman at North Central College in Naperville, was visiting her best friend in Bloomington when gunfire erupted early Sunday, according to the Bloomington Police Department.Originally from Carol Stream, Dettloff was shot at the off-campus Halloween party near Illinois Wesleyan University around 1:20 a.m. Sunday and pronounced dead at the scene, McLean County Coroner Kathleen Yoder said at a press conference Monday. She died from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and pelvic region. There was no evidence of close-range firing, and toxicology results are pending.“For a parent, sending a child off to college is filled with pride, hope, and excitement for the journey ahead. To have that journey cut short in such a tragic way is a parent's worst nightmare. Our hearts are with Giana's family, friends, and everyone impacted by this tragedy," Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington said in a statement. "We also ask our community to keep Giana's loved ones in their thoughts and respect their privacy as they navigate this unimaginable loss.”No arrests have been made in the case, police told The Independent Tuesday.Giana Dettloff, a 19-year-old freshman cheerleader at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, was fatally shot at a Halloween party near Illinois Wesleyan University early Sunday (North Central College)Eight others were injured, ranging in age from 16 to 22. They included students from Illinois Wesleyan University, Illinois State University and Quincy University, as well as several teenagers from the Chicago suburbs. An additional victim sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound during the incident, police learned Monday, which brings the total number of people shot to nine. Their injuries included gunshot wounds to the arms, legs, chest and abdomen. Several were initially in critical condition but later stabilized. Many of the victims did not know one another before the shooting, authorities said.Dettloff was her parents' only daughter, Simington said. Her family described her as "full of life, a sweet girl with a very bright future and an athlete.""I witnessed the heartbreak of her parents and other family members when they learned that their daughter had been murdered. I felt their pain," Simington said Monday.Dettloff's death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from her former school and college communities. North Central College President Abiódún Gòkè-Paríolá confirmed in a Facebook post Tuesday that Dettloff was a member of the school's cheerleading team."No words can ease the pain of her loss, but please know that we mourn with you and are here to support you. Our hearts are also with those injured in the shooting and their loved ones," Gòkè-Paríolá said in a statement. Her former cheerleading team at Glenbard North High School also remembered her in a social media tribute as a "sweet and caring soul" who had a positive influence on the community."She respected others and made our school a better place. Her impact will not be forgotten," the team wrote.Police are asking anyone with information, surveillance footage or other recordings from the area around the time of the shooting to contact Bloomington Detective Pedro Diaz at 309-434-2532 or Pdiaz@cityblm.org.