DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and Lombard Chief of Police Roy Newton announced today that a sixteen-year-old male Glenbard East High School student has been charged with allegedly placing a drawing addressed to a teacher in the teacher’s file cabinet depicting an act of violence targeting the school. The juvenile appeared at a detention hearing this morning where Judge Brian Jacobs ordered that the juvenile be released to the custody of his mother on home detention lockdown. The juvenile has been charged with one count of Disorderly Conduct - Threat to a School, a Class 4 Felony. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 5, 2022.
It is alleged that on or about April 20, 2022, the teen placed a drawing in the teacher’s file cabinet depicting a character holding a bloody knife with blood seeping out of classrooms with the caption “school stabber at Glenbard East 120 dead.” Yesterday afternoon, authorities became aware of the alleged threat and the teen was taken into custody. He has remained in custody until his hearing this morning.
“Any threat to the well-being of our students, teachers and school personnel will be taken very seriously,” Berlin said. “Students have got to understand that school threats are no joking matter and can have a chilling effect not just on students, teachers and staff, but also on parents, siblings and the entire community. As I have said in the past, anyone suspected of making a threat, even if made in jest, will be fully investigated and appropriately charged. I thank authorities at Glenbard East High School for their cooperation in this matter as well as the Lombard Police Department, particularly Detective Bastian for their work on this case. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Jennifer Lindt and Nick Catizone for their efforts.”
“Teachers can’t teach, and students can’t learn if they instead are concerned about their own personal safety,” Newton said. “We must do all we can to ensure that our schools remain free from violence and threats of violence. I thank school officials for bringing this matter to our attention. I also thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his office for their legal guidance in this matter.”
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
View the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office release at https://www.dupagecounty.gov/States_Attorney/States_Attorney_News/2022/66278/