File Photo – Lake Forest High School | Photo: Lake Forest Police Foundation

Several students will be referred for charges after a bullet was found in the library of Lake Forest High School and a school shooting threat was left in a restroom of the school.

Lake Forest High School Principal Erin Lenart said in a letter to parents that a single unspent bullet was discovered in a well-traveled throughway of the library at the school’s east campus on Thursday.

A student came forward Tuesday morning with knowledge of the origin of that bullet.

A further investigation led to the school identifying the individual who was responsible for the bullet’s presence in the building.

“We are proud of the courage and character exhibited by the individual who made this report,” Lenart said.

On Saturday, two days following the discovery of the bullet, an evacuation map was vandalized with threatening language and hateful imagery.

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The graffiti included an image of a potential location for a school shooter, a derogatory statement directed toward a staff member, a drawing of a swastika and a student name included as a supposed “signature.”

The school was temporarily closed on Saturday due to the incident.

The Lake Forest Police Department confirmed that three students, at differing levels of involvement, had knowledge of or were responsible for the graffiti.

“We are completing our own interviews and have taken steps to ensure that the students we believe were involved do not pose a threat to the school. Specific information regarding these measures is confidential and a matter for the school and the families involved,” Lenart said.

Lake Forest Deputy Police Chief Rob Copeland said the students in both incidents will be referred to the Robert W. Depke Juvenile Detention Center to determine juvenile charges.

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Lenart said the school would additionally discipline the students according to its procedures.

“Rumors will surely continue and we will remain steadfastly committed to thoroughly investigating. While we will remain vigilant in our focus on safety and security in our buildings and across our East and West campuses, we are relieved to have positively identified the sources of these recent issues,” Lenart said.

“Today’s breakthrough regarding the bullet is because someone saw something, and said something. This is how Scouts care for Scouts,” she added.

In late September, a student was caught watching a video about weapons while on campus. School officials said that incident is not related to the latest two incidents.