Five shot and one killed after fight breaks out at University of Illinois campus party

(University of Illinois/Facebook)

One man was killed and four others were injured in a pair of shootings on Sunday, including one which took place at a party on the University of Illinois campus.

George Korchev, a Mundelein resident, was shot and killed after an argument broke out at a nearby apartment and carried out into the street. Mr Korchev would have started his new job as a registered nurse on Monday, authorities told reporters.

"Our preliminary investigation completely points to an argument taking place at the party and the argument spilled out into the street and that's when a fight occurred," Champaign police spokesperson LaEisha Meaderds said in a statement.

It's currently unclear exactly what provoked the fight.

Gunshots were first reported to police at 12:40am and Mr Korchev was pronounced dead just 20 minutes later at the Carle Foundation Hospital.

University Chancellor Robert J Jones soon announced that a student and a staff member were among the people shot and that a public vigil would be held on Tuesday night.

"A life has been taken. Four others have had their own forever changed. The families and friends who know them are shaken. None of these victims was even involved in the incident or attended the party that started it all. They were bystanders caught in a senseless act of violence," Jones said in the statement.

"We can all understand the grief and shock of those who knew the young man killed last night and the pain and fear of the others who were injured. We can offer them our support, our sympathy and our compassion."

Champaign Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen announced that city and university police are pursuing all leads to hunt down the suspect.

"This type of senseless gun violence is unacceptable in our community," the mayor said on Facebook