Yorkville High School Academy was forced into lockdown yesterday afternoon after a student was discovered with a loaded handgun in his backpack.
According to police, shortly after 1:00pm, staff at the Yorkville High School Academy were alerted by students that a fellow student might be in possession of a loaded handgun. A staff member immediately separated the student from the student body, secured the student in a contained location, and requested assistance from the Yorkville Police Department and school security. During this time, following established school safety protocols, both the Yorkville High School and Yorkville High School Academy was placed on lockdown.
Upon initial contact, the Yorkville Police Department School Resource Officer along with school security personnel discovered that the student was in possession of a loaded handgun concealed inside a backpack. The student was immediately taken into custody and the firearm secured.
The 14-year-old juvenile offender was subsequently removed from campus. Yorkville High School Academy staff confirmed that all students and staff were accounted for and that no injuries had occurred. The lockdown was later reduced to a secure status for the remainder of the school day. YPD officers and school staff remained on scene to ensure a safe dismissal. Once the dismissal process was completed, YPD personnel cleared the scene.
The juvenile offender was transported to the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center and charged with • Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (1 count); • Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (6 counts); Possession of a Stolen Firearm (1 count); and Obstructing a Peace Officer (1 count).
No indication of other students being involved has been yet been discovered, nor has a specific threat directed at other students been identified. The investigation remains ongoing and additional charges may be filed should evidence indicate further violations.
