By Lolly Bowean
The Chicago Tribune
CRETE, Ill. — A 15-year-old student was arrested Wednesday after bringing a handgun and a loaded clip into Crete-Monee High School, officials said.
The teenager did not display the 9 mm automatic handgun or threaten anyone with it, but he hid the weapon in his locker and kept the bullet clip on his body, said Natalie Nash, spokeswoman for the Crete-Monee School District.
“We don’t believe he was looking to do any imminent harm to anyone, but it’s all under investigation,” Nash said. “We regard this with a great deal of seriousness. We’re facing what every school district is -- all the worries and concerns to make it as safe as we can.”
School administrators learned about the weapon about 8:30 a.m., when an anonymous student left a note in the main office, Nash said. The student described the 15-year-old and said he had the handgun with him on the school bus in the morning.
Teachers were notified about the situation via e-mail, Nash said, and told to quietly inspect their classrooms. When a teacher reported having a student in class who fit the description, the boy was escorted out and searched by Crete police officers and school security guards, Nash said.
“For the safety of all students, the building was placed on lockdown, and no one was allowed to come or go,” Nash said. “Every single locker was checked. No other weapons were found on the premises.
“I hope people understand how pleased we are that this didn’t go any further,” she said. “We are pleased that this student, who is anonymous to us, felt a sense of responsibility for the teachers and fellow students. This anonymous kid has raised the bar for all students. They have a sense of duty to protect each other and tell us, even anonymously.”
The teen who was arrested, a Monee resident, was charged with a felony for possessing the firearm and was taken into custody, police said. The Will County State’s Attorney Juvenile Division approved the felony charge, and the boy will remain in custody pending a hearing, police said.
About 1,500 students attend Crete-Monee High School, and seven security guards patrol the school. There are no metal detectors in the building, and the students do not have to carry transparent book bags or endure searches to enter the campus, Nash said.
The incident was resolved in less than an hour, she said.
Parents were notified via phone calls and a letter home. The school day continued as normal, officials said.
When Susan Morris’ 17-year-old daughter ran into the house after school, Morris grabbed her and gave her a hug and kiss. But her busy senior didn’t have a clue about what happened.
“She was in shock when I told her because usually word flies around school so fast,” she said.
Morris said she was stunned when she got the phone message from school administrators.
“It’s always surprising because you think it can’t happen here, but it can,” she said.
Copryight 2008 The Chicago Tribune