Authorities say a potential school shooting was averted at a Mundelein school after a child got into an altercation with classmates, made threats and retrieved a gun from home.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded on Wednesday to a report of a school threat directed at Fremont Middle School in unincorporated Mundelein.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said deputies learned that a student had threatened a school shooting while riding the school bus home following an altercation with other students.
A further investigation revealed that the juvenile retrieved a firearm from home and started a video call with one of the students involved in the earlier altercation.
The juvenile displayed the firearm during the call, Covelli said.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the juvenile’s residence, made contact with the child and seized the shotgun used in the video.
Deputies also sought a Firearm Restraining Order (FRO) from the 19th Judicial Circuit Court, which was approved.
Covelli said deputies and detectives located and seized an additional firearm and ammunition that was inside a safe in the home.
The juvenile was petitioned to juvenile court on the charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and aggravated assault.
Charges against the juvenile’s guardians are pending.
Sheriff’s detectives made notification to the Illinois State Police regarding the Firearm Owner Identification card (FOID) status of the adults living in the home with the juvenile.
Members of the Sheriff’s Community Engagement and School Resource Team and the school district collaborated during the investigation to ensure the safety and well-being of the school community, Covelli said.
Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said he is “incredibly grateful” to the witnesses who stepped forward to report the threat.
“The community plays a critical role in preventing tragedies. Across the country, we’ve seen too many instances of school violence where warning signs went unreported,” Idleburg said.
“Thanks to the diligence and swift action of my dedicated staff, we were able to seize these weapons and ensure the safety of the school and our community. Together, we can make a difference by speaking up when something doesn’t seem right,” Idleburg added.