A student has been referred on charges after officials say they made comments that alarmed other students in the lunchroom of Zion-Benton Township High School in Zion.
Zion Benton High School District 126 Executive Director of Safety and Security Art Hernandez sent a message to parents on Monday afternoon informing them of a potential threat at the school.
Hernandez said the school district was informed by local law enforcement about allegations concerning a potential threat made by a student.
“The matter was promptly and thoroughly investigated in collaboration with law enforcement and has been determined not to be credible,” Hernandez said.
The school district said there was no immediate threat to the school community and normal operations continued as planned.
“We appreciate your continued cooperation, awareness, and commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all,” Hernandez said.
The school declined to provide further details on the matter.
A parent told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that their son saw a large police presence in the school when the incident occurred.
The Zion Police Department confirmed they responded to Zion Benton High School for a disorderly conduct complaint.
Zion Police Department Lt. Paul Kehrli said a student made comments in the lunchroom of the school that alarmed other students.
The police department and the school worked together to conduct an investigation.
The student in question told officials that they were just repeating something they heard online, Kehrli said.
It was determined that there was no credible threat but the student was referred to the juvenile justice system for a disorderly conduct charge.
They were not arrested or transported to a secure detention facility, Kehrli said.