Police say they have arrested a student after he became upset about being expelled and battered a staff member at Round Lake High School, prompting the closure of area schools.
Round Lake Area Schools District 116 Superintendent Donn Mendoza said the incident occurred after a board of education meeting Tuesday evening.
A student hit a staff member and was removed from school, Mendoza said.
Round Lake Police Chief David Prus said his officers responded around 7:46 p.m. that evening to the Round Lake High School, 800 Panther Boulevard, for a report of a disturbance.
The juvenile had run from the area before he could be apprehended by police.
Prus said an extensive search was conducted for the juvenile, who had battered a staff member after being expelled from school.
Officers were unable to locate the juvenile throughout the remainder of Tuesday evening.
Mendoza said the student trespassed late Wednesday afternoon on school property when he attempted to enter the Round Lake Area School Operation Service Center, located at 811 Sunset Drive in Round Lake.
The operations service center houses the school buses for the district.
Police were notified and Round Lake High School was placed in a “secure status.”
All students and staff on campus were first brought to the stadium and then inside the school, Mendoza said.
Students were released using a route directed away from the operations service center.
The school district sent out an email just after 10 p.m. Wednesday to parents notifying them that in-person classes had been canceled at all schools in the district due to the incident.
Prus said the student was located at his home around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday where he was arrested.
He was transported to the Robert Depke Juvenile Complex Center in Vernon Hills on felony aggravated battery charges.
“This situation involved one student who was apparently upset at being expelled from school,” Prus said.
The staff member was not seriously injured and no other threats were conveyed by the student.
Mendoza said the district received confirmation Thursday morning that the student had been apprehended. “It is important to note that this student will not be attending RLAS-116 schools going forward,” the superintendent said.
Prus said there is not believed to be any threat to the school or community.
“The Round Lake Police will continue to work with the School District to ensure a safe environment exists for everyone involved,” Prus said, adding that the decision to close schools in the district Thursday was made by the district itself.
School officials are working with law enforcement to develop a safety plan for schools, which will reopen Friday.
All school activities are canceled for the remainder of Thursday.
“We anticipate having additional police presence on the high school campus set up for at least the next week of school. Our school safety staff will be briefed on safety procedures on campus going forward,” Mendoza said.