Illinois School Safety News

​

• 4/11/24 - Two weapons-related incidents at Danville elementary school in one week - DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — Danville Police have investigated a student who brought a weapon to threaten another student at an elementary school.

• 4/5/24 - CPS student charged with bringing loaded fully automatic handgun to school - CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago Public Schools student was arrested on Tuesday for bringing a loaded fully automatic handgun with an extended clip to school.

• 3/22/24 - 13-year-old boy charged for allegedly bringing loaded gun to school - Published: Mar. 22, 2024 at 2:28 AM EDT

• 3/19/24 - 13-year-old boy in custody for bringing loaded handgun to Dunlap Valley Middle School - Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins said the handgun discovered in a student’s locker at Dunlap Valley Middle School was loaded and had been stolen during a Peoria burglary.

• 2/29/24 - Boy, 9, brings loaded gun Roy DeShane Elementary School in Carol Stream - CAROL STREAM, Ill. (WLS) -- A nine-year old boy brought a loaded gun to his elementary school on Tuesday, the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office said.

• 2/28/24 - LOCAL NEWS 9-year-old boy brings loaded gun to suburban Chicago school, woman charged - CHICAGO (CBS) – A 9-year-old boy brought a loaded gun to a west suburban school on Tuesday, which led to a woman being charged.

• 2/23/24 - 13-year-old student arrested for bringing gun to Gurnee middle school: police - Police in north suburban Gurnee arrested a 13-year-old boy who brought a gun to school on Friday, causing a soft lockdown, according to authorities.

• 2/1/24 - 3 teens shot, 1 fatally, in apparent targeted attack near their Chicago high school - One teenager was killed and two were injured in an apparent targeted shooting in broad daylight a few blocks from their Chicago school, according to police.

• 2/1/24 - Over 100 kids shot near Chicago schools in last 5 years, data analysis shows - CHICAGO (WLS) -- Nearly eight people are shot each day in Chicago, and data analysis shows that in the last five years more than 100 of them have been kids and teens within one-tenth of a mile of a school.

• 1/27/24 - Two teenage boys shot and killed leaving Chicago school - CHICAGO (AP) — Two teenage boys were shot and killed Friday afternoon while they were leaving school, authorities said.

• 1/26/24 - 2 students killed in Loop shooting outside of high school ID'd, Chicago police say - Two teenage boys were shot and killed while walking out of a high school Friday afternoon in the Loop, Chicago police said.

• 1/11/24 - Teens experience trauma response due to nationwide school violence - ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Following Wednesday night’s false alarm at Auburn High School, experts weighed in on how exposure to violence impacts teens.

• 1/1/24 - Monday was deadline for Illinois owners of assault weapons prior to ban to register their guns - CHICAGO (CBS) – Even though Illinois lawmakers passed a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, Monday was the deadline for those who already owned assault weapons before the ban to register them.

• 12/30/23 - Migrants, gun violence, the environment and more: 5 pressing issues for Chicago in 2024 - As usual, there was no shortage of news in this city in 2023, and no shortage of problems to fix. The Editorial Board picked 5 topics we want to see addressed in 2024.

• ​10/23/23 - Chicago weekend shootings: 12-year-old boy among 7 killed, 22 hurt - CHICAGO (CBS) -- At least five people were killed, and 22 others were hurt in weekend shootings across Chicago as of Saturday. The ages of the victims range from 12 to 51. 

• 10/8/23 - Gunfire erupts at youth football game in Dolton - CHICAGO (CBS) -- There was chaos and panic at a youth football game in Chicago's south suburbs after gunfire erupted Sunday afternoon. 

• 9/21/23 - Boy, 15, wounded in Albany Park shooting near school, Chicago police say - CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 15-year-old boy was shot near an elementary school in the Albany Park Wednesday night, Chicago police said.

• 9/21/23 - Round Lake Area Schools close after student attacks staffer, poses threat to campus - ROUND LAKE, Ill. - All Round Lake Area Schools were closed Thursday after a student hit a staff member at a Board of Education meeting earlier in the week. 

• 9/20/23 - Country Club Hills police appeal for help finding shooter of Hillcrest High School freshman - COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, Ill. (WLS) -- Country Club Hills police said their investigation into the shooting death of 14-year-old Marshawn Mitchell after leaving a homecoming football game has been hampered by uncooperative witnesses.

• 9/17/23 - 14-year-old boy shot to death after homecoming football game at high school - COUNTRY CLUB HILLS, Ill. (WBBM) — A teenage boy was shot and killed following a homecoming football game at Hillcrest High School Friday night in the south Chicago suburbs.

• 8/31/23 - Peoria Public Schools cancels activities at five schools amid wave of gun violence - Peoria Public Schools says all after-school activities are canceled at five Peoria schools and it is working with the Peoria Police Department to "ensure the safety of students and staff" amid a spate of gun violence across Peoria on Wednesday and Thursday.

• 8/25/23 - Mom arrested after 5-year-old son with special needs brings gun to school in backpack: Cicero police - CICERO, Ill. (WLS) -- A mother has been arrested after a gun was found in her 5-year-old son's backpack at a west suburban elementary school on Friday morning, police said.

• 8/4/23 - Facial recognition for guns: Silvis school using AI to spot weapons - SILVIS, Ill. (KWQC) - Some students in the Quad-Cities are returning to school this week – and safety is on the minds of parents.

• 7/25/23 - Rockford Public Schools to install AI-powered weapon detection systems - ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Rockford Public School District announced Tuesday that it will be installing weapon detection scanners at the entrances of four high schools.

• 6/4/23 - Harvard Police shoot, kill man during fatal domestic stabbing attack - A Harvard police officer shot and killed a man who was stabbing a woman to death late Saturday night, according to a release from Chief Tyson Bauman.

• 5/12/23 - Maine West High School lockdown prompted by false 'active shooter' alarm, district says - DES PLAINES, Ill. (WLS) -- The Des Plaines police chief said what triggered an active shooter alarm at Maine West High School on Friday morning is still under investigation.

• 5/10/23 - 10-year-old daughter of Cook Co. corrections officer brings loaded gun to Richton Park school - RICHTON PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Richton Park police said a 10-year-old girl has been taken into custody after a loaded gun was found at a school Wednesday.

• 4/12/23 - Multiple Illinois school districts report threats Wednesday - GRANITE CITY, Ill. — Illinois school districts appear to be the latest victims of "swatting." Multiple Metro East schools reported receiving threats Wednesday that led to lockdowns, evacuations and growing concerns among students and their parents.

• 4/4/23 - 5 arrested after report of student with a gun at Highland Park High School - HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- Five students were arrested on Tuesday after a report of a student in possible possession of a gun at Highland Park High School.

• 4/4/23 - 16-year-old girl arrested in UT school threat - Moline police and United Township High School officials say there is no threat to students after a school shooting threat was made on social media last night.

• 3/21/23 - Beardstown schools went on lockdown, a report of a man running with a weapon near school - BEARDSTOWN, Ill. (WICS) — Beardstown schools went on lockdown on Tuesday after the Beardstown Police and Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to the 1300 block of Jackson Street for a report of a man running with a weapon.

• 3/7/23 - Auburn High School student arrested for bringing a weapon to school - ROCKFORD — An Auburn High School student is under arrest after bringing a weapon to school.

• 2/20/23 - Wheaton North High School threat was a false 'swatting' call, police say - WHEATON, Ill. (WLS) -- Wheaton North High School was under a "shelter in place" order Monday morning after a threat was called in to 911 referencing the school. Police later determined it to be a false "swatting" report.

• 2/11/23 - Teenage suspect denied bond in deadly shooting outside Benito Juarez High School - CHICAGO (CBS) – A 16-year-old boy was denied bond Saturday in a shooting in December near Benito Juarez Community Academy in which two teenagers were killed and two others were wounded.

• 2/3/23 - Canton High School lockdown lifted - According to a release, the Canton Police Department received a phone call that they received a phone call indicating an active shooter situation at Canton High School.

• 1/15/23 - Police respond after brawl breaks out during attack on student at Waukegan High School Brookside Campus - A video captured several students attacking another student while security tried to intervene at Waukegan High School Brookside Campus earlier this week.

• 1/13/23 - Student charged with felonies in Edwardsville school threat - EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – A student accused of a threat toward Edwardsville High School earlier this week is behind bars on multiple felony charges.

• 1/8/23 - Paris School District receives two grants for school safety, violence prevention programs - PARIS, Ill. (WCIA) — Paris Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Larson said the school district received two grants from the Department of Justice for school safety and violence prevention programs.

• 1/5/23 - Threat of ‘potential violence’ leads to lockdown of Lake in the Hills elementary school - The elementary school went into a “Hold in Place and Teach” situation in response to “a threat of potential violence with a weapon from an anonymous source,” according to the statement, which was posted on the district website and social media.

• 12/24/22 - Police investigating drive-by shootings in Carbondale, Herrin, Marion - WILLIAMSON COUNTY, IL (WSIL) -- A series of drive-by shootings are being investigated by police.

• 12/20/22 - ‘Still processing’: Juarez students, staff return to class after shooting outside school - On Monday morning, Elena Jacobs struggled to get out of bed. She’s a special education teacher at Benito Juarez Community Academy High School, where four teens were shot — two of them fatally — right after dismissal Friday. 

• 12/17/22 - 'All I heard was shots': Sister was on phone with little brother when 2 killed outside CPS school - CHICAGO (WLS) -- A second teen killed outside a school on Chicago's a Southwest Side Friday has been identified.

• 12/16/22 - 2 killed, 2 wounded in shooting outside a Chicago high school - The shooting Friday occurred on the grounds of the Benito Juárez Community Academy, according to the Chicago Fire Department.

• 12/15/22 - Boy, 14, charged for bringing weapon to school in Uptown neighborhood - A 14-year-old boy was arrested by Chicago police Wednesday after he was identified as the person who brought a firearm to school in the Uptown neighborhood on the North Side.

• 11/29/22 - 1 in custody after gun confiscated at East St. Louis high school - ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. — A person was taken into police custody Tuesday morning after bringing a gun to East St. Louis Senior High School, officials say.

• 11/17/22 - Charges pending after school shooting threats - Charges are pending against a juvenile who allegedly made a “threat of violence directed at students from Union Pines High School,” according to a press release from Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields Thursday.

• 11/12/22 - Threat prompts police response during school dance at middle school in Lake Villa - Police officers responded to investigate after a threat occurred at Palombi Middle School during a school dance Friday evening, authorities said.

• 11/7/22 - Urbana schools closed due to threat - Officials said that, out of an abundance of caution, school at both the high and middle schools were canceled for the day pending verification of the validity of the threats and the subsequent investigation. UHS was immediately placed on lockdown and busses that were carrying students to the school were redirected to a predetermined site to be reunited with their parents.

• 11/5/22 - Teens arrested for threats of violence at Pana High School - SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The Illinois State Police arrested two teenagers for threats of violence at Pana High School.

• 11/2/22 - Pana High School placed on lockdown after shooter threat - At approximately 8:01 p.m., Pana Police Department gave Pana school officials the green light to resume normal school activities beginning Nov. 3, according to Pana Community Unit School District 8’s Facebook page.

• 10/28/22 - ‘It’s a war zone.’ Teen tells mom about violence at QC high school, parent shares concerns - Parents of students at Rock Island High School have expressed concerns after they say several fights broke out on campus Thursday.

• 10/25/22 - Day after shooting at South City high school, gun found on students at two other local schools - BELLEVILLE, Ill. (KMOV.com) – A 15-year-old student brought a gun to Belleville East High School and a student brought a gun to Hazelwood West High School Tuesday.

• 10/16/22 - 13-year-old among 5 fatally shot in Chicago weekend violence - At least 283 juveniles have been shot, 33 fatally, in Chicago this year.

• 10/12/22 - Aurora police investigating threatening graffiti at high school - AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- Aurora police are investigating threatening graffiti reported at West Aurora High School.

• 9/22/22 - West Chicago HS student accused of bringing gun to school, police say - WEST CHICAGO, Ill. (WLS) -- A 14-year-old boy has been detained after being accused of bringing a gun to school.

• 9/13/22 - School gun case sparks debate over safety and second chances - Oak Park, Ill. (AP) — Keyon Robinson was just a month away from graduating from high school when he took a loaded gun, placed it in his backpack and headed to campus.

• 9/8/22 - Bomb threat forces Latin School of Chicago to close Thursday - CHICAGO (WLS) -- A bomb threat has forced the Latin School of Chicago to send students home Thursday morning.

• 9/7/22 - A Chicago school confronts a wave of grief after losing 2 students to gun violence - Last year, more than 50 school-aged children were shot and killed and hundreds more were wounded, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Since January, 38 people 17 and younger have been shot and killed this year. 

• 9/7/22 - Police investigating bomb threat at Timber Ridge Middle School in Plainfield - JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) -- Joliet police responded to Timber Ridge Middle School to investigate a bomb threat at the school Wednesday, according to the department.

• 9/5/22 - How Illinois handles school shooting threats as new academic year begins - CHICAGO - As the last school year came to a close in May, the country was shaken by yet another horrific school shooting.

• 11/10/21 - Boys accused of making threat against Naperville Central High School face felony charges: police - NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- Two teenage boys were charged with making a threat against Naperville Central High School, Naperville police announced Tuesday.

• 11/8/21 - More Bomb Threat Texts Sent To Oak Lawn And Palos Students - OAK LAWN-PALOS, IL — Another round of unfounded threatening texts were sent to students at multiple south suburban high schools Monday morning. The texts appear to be from the same anonymous phone number from similar texts sent last week, which contained bomb threats.

• 11/4/21 - LOCAL NEWS  2 Teens Wounded In Shooting Near Chicago Vocational High School; Business Owner Rushes In To Save Others - CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two teenagers were wounded Thursday afternoon in a shooting just around the corner from Chicago Vocational High School in the Avalon Park community.  As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, the shooting happened at 87th Street and Jeffery Boulevard. The school is located at 2100 E. 87th St. just to the east.