West Chicago High School Student Charged with Bringing Gun to School

West Chicago Community High School.

“SCHOOL SAFETY REMAINS A TOP PRIORITY OF MY ADMINISTRATION,” BERLIN SAID. “ANY THREAT, OR EVEN THE PERCEPTION OF A THREAT, WILL BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY AND FULLY INVESTIGATED.”

WHEATON - DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and West Chicago Chief of Police Colin Fleury announced today that a seventeen-year-old male West Chicago Community High School student has been charged with allegedly bringing a gun to school. The juvenile appeared at a detention hearing this morning where Judge Anthony Coco ordered that the juvenile be detained until at least his next court appearance. The juvenile has been charged with one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Possess in a School (Class 3 Felony), one count of Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon (Class 4 Felony) and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (Class 4 Felony). His next court appearance is scheduled for April 27, 2022, for status.

It is alleged that on or about April 21, 2022, the juvenile brought a Ruger 9mm handgun to school. It is alleged that school authorities received information that a student was in possession of a gun on school grounds. Yesterday afternoon the juvenile was taken into custody. He has remained in custody until his hearing this morning.

“School Safety remains a top priority of my administration,” Berlin said. “Any threat, or even the perception of a threat, will be taken very seriously and fully investigated. I thank authorities at West Chicago Community High School for their cooperation and attention to this matter as well as the West Chicago Police Department, for their work on this case. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Kristin Grossman and Nick Catizone for their efforts.”

“I thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his staff, school staff and officers with the West Chicago Police Department for their cooperative efforts in the case,” Fleury said.

Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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