Mundelein Man Killed in U of I Shooting Was Supposed to Start Nursing Job in Suburbs This Week

A celebratory weekend for a 22-year-old Mundelein man turned violent when he became caught up in gunfire while walking near the University of Illinois campus in Champaign. George Korchev, a 2012 graduate of Mundelein High School, was an innocent bystander in the shooting that killed him and injured four others.

Korchev was visiting the University of Illinois campus to spend time with friends and celebrate a recent job offer, according to the Chicago Tribune. He was supposed to start as a full-time nurse at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville today.

The shooting occurred after a fight broke out in the 300 block of East Green Street in Champaign at about 12:38 a.m., according to the Chicago Tribune. Korchev was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:02 a.m. Gunfire also broke out at 1:08 a.m. in the 700 block of South State Street where police found another gunshot victim.

>>> Shootings Near U of I: 1 Student Dead, 4 Shot in Overnight Shooting Near Campus

Of the four surviving shooting victims, three have been discharged and one remains hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, according to police. A pedestrian fleeing the gunfire was struck by a car on East Green Street. He received minor injuries and has been “cooperating with law enforcement,” police said.
Meanwhile, police are still searching for the suspects in the shooting, according to an update Sunday night from Champaign police.

Korchev, who recently passed his Nursing Board Exam, had been working as a patient care tech at Advocate Condell but recently received a full-time position as a nurse. Dominica Tallarico, president of Advocate Condell Medical Center, described Korchev as a caring man with a promising career in a statement released Sunday.

"A patient care tech who recently passed his Nursing Board Exam, he was to have begun a position as a registered nurse at Advocate Condell tomorrow," Tallarico said. "George was a valuable team member who was loved by his patients and known as a skilled, empathetic and selfless caregiver. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."

Tallarico said chaplains were available to offer support to staff at the hospital.

Nursing seemed like a good fit for the local man who is described by friends and neighbors as a caring person who wanted to help others.

Friend Justin Konieczny said Korchev was an “all-around amazing guy” who cared very deeply for his friends, family and his work, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He was always smiling and laughing and making those around him smile and laugh, Konieczny told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Korchev decided to pursue a career in nursing after caring for his grandfather for several years at home, a longtime friend of Korchev, Joey Grant, told the Chicago Tribune.

In high school, Korchev was the class clown, according to the Daily Illini. He had a signature high-pitched laugh, Jorgen Juul, a former high school classmate, told the college newspaper.

“Once he got someone to laugh, he would burst out laughing and get a bunch of other people to laugh,” said Juul, who was in homeroom with Korchev. “It was this chain reaction thing that pretty much happened every single day.”

He also left a lasting impression on his teachers. Jennifer Wylie Fallon taught Korchev pre-calculus at Mundelein High School, and she said he stood out from the hundreds of students she taught over the years, according to the Daily Herald.

“George is the kind of kid you remember right away because he had a personality plus,” Fallon told the Daily Herald. “Not all students want to be interactive with their teachers, but he was. It’s the kids that are interactive with you that leave a long-lasting impression.”

Family of the 21-year-old man gathered at the Korchev’s home on Sunday to mourn the loss, according to WGN TV News. Jacob Meier, who was a couple years younger than Korchev, lived across the street from him in Mundelein.

“He had this bubbly personality. He was always just willing to help others,” Meier told WGN TV.

“He wanted to help people, that’s all he wanted to do,” Meier said.

Korchev attended the College of Lake County and earned his Certified Nurse Assisting certificate in December 2012 and his Associate in Applied Science in Nursing in December 2015.

CLC President Jerry Weber expressed his sympathy to Korchev's family on behalf of the college community.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with George’s family and friends at this very difficult time,” Weber said.

CLC students who knew George Korchev and are experiencing difficulty should contact the CLC Counseling department. Faculty and staff may contact the college’s Employee Assistance Program for counseling assistance, according to college officials.

Champaign Police Chief Anthony Cobb expressed his condolences to the Korchev family and other victims injured in the shooting incidents.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims and our Champaign-Urbana community at-large. These senseless acts of violence cannot be tolerated,” he said “We are actively pursuing all leads and will continue to work with area law enforcement agencies to hold these individuals accountable for their criminal acts of violence.”

Deborah Frank Feinen, mayor of Champaign, issued the following statement.

"On behalf of the City of Champaign, my thoughts and prayers go out to the family of George Korchev, and the other innocent victims of the tragic shootings earlier this morning. This type of senseless gun violence is unacceptable in our community. The Champaign Police Department, University of Illinois Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies are aggressively pursuing all leads in this ongoing investigation. Anyone who witnessed or has any information about these tragic incidents should contact Champaign Police at 217-351-4545 or Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS."

Photo credit: Advocate Health