URBANA — A linebacker for the University of Illinois football team was among three people injured after a man opened fire at a party in the campus area early Sunday morning.

Illinois outside linebacker Trulon Henry, a two-year starter, will miss the rest of the regular season after being shot in the hand at the off-campus party.

Urbana police Lt. Bryant Seraphin said police were called to the residence at 1004 S. Lincoln Ave., U, at 3:26 a.m. and found three men had been shot at a large party and that the shooter had fled in a car.

"A couple of groups had gotten into a fight," Seraphin said.

The victims are Henry, 27, of Savoy; a 23-year-old Park Forest man; and a 22-year-old Palos Park man. Seraphin said he didn't know if the Park Forest and Palos Park men were students. All three were taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.

Henry was expected to have surgery on his hand on Sunday. The injury is not considered life threatening.

Seraphin said there were probably about 100 people at the after-hours party and that the shooting occurred on a fenced-in patio outside on the south side of the house.

Multiple Illinois football sources said members of the football team were at the party when a fight broke out. One of the players called Henry to have him help get the players away from the scene. Shots were fired into the crowd, and Henry was hit in the hand.

"He's the lucky one," head coach Ron Zook said Sunday afternoon. "He's doing pretty well. Obviously, any time you have a bullet go in your finger, it's not good."

UI Assistant Director of Athletics Ken Brown said Henry, a senior, will miss the remainder of the regular season, and his status for a possible bowl appearance was unknown Sunday.

"I haven't even thought about that right now," Zook said.

Henry, who was not at the party to begin with, was called by a teammate "to help encourage players at the party to leave," Brown said in a written release. "Henry was one of three people shot."

Zook said Henry had been home and was actually picking up his brother somewhere else when he was called to the scene.

"Trulon, being the leader that he is, the guys called him," Zook said. "They told him it was getting a little crazy, and they needed a ride to get out of there."

Zook said there were five or six other players at the party. Zook said he doesn't expect to take any disciplinary action against the players.

Henry, a native of Washington D.C., was a starting outside linebacker this season after starting all 13 games as a safety in 2010. He is ninth on the team with 39 tackles and is tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

One of the three victims has already been released from the hospital. The condition of the other two is unknown, but Zook said Henry would remain in the hospital for "a day or so." Seraphin declined to say where on their bodies the men had been shot.

Although the shooting prompted an activation of the Illini Alert system about 4:30 a.m., Seraphin said there was never any threat to students elsewhere on campus.

"It was exclusively aimed at that residence," he said. The house is located across the street to the east of the Lincoln Avenue residence hall.

Police are looking for a black man, less than 30 years old, who has dreadlocks. He was wearing a dark-colored coat and was last seen in or around a silver Dodge Charger with black racing stripes.

UI police, Champaign police and Champaign County sheriff's deputies helped Urbana police at the scene, according to a written release from the university.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Urbana police at 384-2320 or Champaign County Crimestoppers at 373-8477.

In a mass email sent to students, faculty and staff, UI President Michael Hogan and Chancellor Phyllis Wise said counselors will be available to help people cope with anxiety caused by the shooting.

Students needing immediate counseling should call the emergency dean at 333-0050. Counseling services are also available to students by calling 333-3704 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Faculty and staff should call 244-5312 for counseling.

Hogan and Wise said they are urging any witnesses to come forward and cooperate with authorities.

"UI police said there was never any threat to students elsewhere on campus, but as soon as the police were able to confer with Urbana officers and confirm the appropriate information to be released, they sent an Illini Alert to the campus," Hogan and Wise said. "Additionally, student affairs staff members called sorority and fraternity houses in the area to alert them. Our own police department is working closely with the Urbana Police Department and has stepped up its patrols in the area and on the campus."

Hogan and Wise are asking members of the university community to look out for those around them following Sunday's incident.

"Small acts of kindness can help them and can strengthen our community," they said. "We appreciate the concern, empathy, and assistance that all of you in the University of Illinois community offer at a time like this."