Evanston Township High School officials say a student brought a loaded gun to school on Wednesday, however “there was no knowledge of any threat or danger to students or staff.”
ETHS made the incident known publicly with a website message in the afternoon. Staff members were notified via email. The staff message also said that families were to be informed.
The Evanston Police Department says an adult male student was taken into custody without incident.
Cmdr. Ryan Glew adds that “the investigation does not indicate that a school shooting was planned or there was a potential target.”
He says the gun was not being used in the commission of another crime.
Glew notes the investigation is ongoing, and charges are not likely until Thursday.
The student’s name has not been released.
It appears that someone else told school authorities about the weapon.
The website message says officials “learned through our Acknowledge, Care, Tell steps” that there was a gun on campus.
Under “Acknowledge, Care, Tell,” students are encouraged to report suspicious activity to staff, or use the school or the police department’s anonymous text-a-tip lines.
The incident came less than two weeks after ETHS posted a message about prioritizing school safety, reporting potential problems, and stressing the “Acknowledge, Care, Tell” framework.
ETHS says it has been in touch with the family of the student who allegedly had the gun “regarding any appropriate disciplinary action.”
This is the second gun incident at the high school in less than a year.
Last December, two loaded guns were found. Two students were charged in connection with the weapons.
2nd time in 2 years …. it’s only a matter of time before it’s used on a student(s).
You have to get metal detectors now – you’re putting kids lives at risk by not doing so. I don’t want it but we have to do it.
All of this starts at home – I’m not blaming ETHS school officials at all. I’m blaming the parents/family/neighborhood for these issues.
Everything starts at home.
There’s a reason every high school is Chicago Public Schools, including all of the high achieving magnet schools, have metal detectors. And there’s never been a shooting in a CPS school.
Sticking our heads in the sand and saying “metal detectors are not a deterrent” it’s not only completely divorced from reality, but — I would argue — patently negligent and an open invitation for this lawless behavior to continue and potentially escalate to an actual school shooting.
Why would the administration and 202 Board choose to ignore taking the measures we need to keep our high school kids safe? Too much money? Too much work? I’m sorry but it is your job to make sure our kids are safe!