Two charged in shooting of NIU player

Published Apr. 8, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

A judge has set bond at $1 million each for two Northern Illinois students accused of shooting NIU linebacker Devon Butler.

Hospital officials said Butler's condition has been upgraded to serious on Friday afternoon. Butler was wounded in the drive-by shooting while off campus Tuesday night. Authorities say a gunman in an SUV fired into the apartment building where Butler was visiting with friends.

He had been in critical condition since Tuesday.

Prosecutors have charged 24-year-old Mark Orozco and 20-year-old Richard Van Arsdale with attempted first-degree murder. Both men are from DeKalb and appeared in DeKalb County court Thursday via closed-circuit television from the county jail.

They couldn't be reached for comment. It isn't clear if they have attorneys.

Butler is a junior from Pembroke Pines, Fla. He was in on 80 tackles - second on the team - and had 4 1/2 sacks.