CHAMPAIGN — An incident that sparked a second soft lockdown in as many days at a nearby elementary school and a police pursuit of a high-speed vehicle ended with the arrest of three suspects and the seizure of three firearms in illegal possession.

Around 3:05 p.m. Thursday, Champaign police stopped a vehicle in the 2000 block of North Market Street after observing an armed individual go inside.

The vehicle sped off after being stopped, authorities said, leading police to pursue it until it stopped in the 1000 block of North Sixth Street due to a mechanical failure reported.

It was then that the four occupants got out of the vehicle and fled on foot.

Three were apprehended after several local law enforcement agencies joined Champaign police in the search. Arrested were William Laws, 25, and Trevoy Fonville, 28, both of Champaign, and Anthony Wilkins, 29, of Rantoul.

Urbana and University of Illinois police along with the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office assisted CPD in the investigation.

Due to the proximity of the incident, Booker T. Washington STEM Academy was placed on soft lockdown, the second day in a row that nearby police activity led Unit 4 schools to close their doors .

Thursday’s moderate lockdown ended at 3:55 p.m., but “dismissal was delayed until we received clearance from CPD,” district spokeswoman Stacey Moore said.

The investigation is ongoing, according to Champaign police, who continued to canvas the area for witnesses and video footage.

Any resident or business with exterior surveillance camera systems is asked to notify police at 217-351-4545.

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can also submit tips to Crime Stoppers by telephone at: 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at 373tips.com; or the “P3 Tips” mobile application.