University of Illinois basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr. has been arrested on a rape charge, according to reports.
The arrest was made after a warrant had been issued by the Douglas County District Attorney in Kansas after an alleged incident on Sept. 8. Shannon has since turned himself in and posted bail. Despite the incident occurring in September, the university said it had only recently received actionable information.
The senior player has been suspended from the program following the allegations. Authorities launched an investigation into Shannon following his involvement with an Illinois-Kansas football game, which took place in Lawrence. Shannon traveled to Lawrence on Thursday to turn himself in before being granted bail.
Shannon is considered an All-American candidate and has been averaging 21.7 points per game, tying for the eighth-best average in the country, along with 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. The university has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct and have shown their commitment to it time and again, according to athletic director Josh Whitman.
The University of Illinois has made clear policies to afford student-athletes appropriate levels of due process based on the nature and severity of the allegations. Officials were aware of a police investigation into Shannon since the end of September, but the university said it “had yet to receive actionable information” until Wednesday.
Shannon is a fifth-year senior and a Chicago native. Illinois is currently ranked No. 11 in the United States, having made a great start this season.