PIKE: Teen charged in Pleasant Hill incident ordered to undergo mental health assessment
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
By BETH ZUMWALT
Zane Fesler
Zane Fesler, an 18 year-old senior, has been ordered by the court to undergo a mental health assessment.
Bond is reserved.
The incident started May 18 at 10:55 a.m. when the Pike County Sheriff’s office received a report from a school administrator at Pleasant Hill CUSD #3 that a high-school student possibly brought a firearm to school and said the firearm was in the suspect’s vehicle. Several students alerted school officials about comments made on a social media platform.
“Pleasant Hill High School immediately contacted police after receiving information about a weapon inside a vehicle at the high school,” Kylie Orr, superintendent of the district, said. “The weapon remained in the vehicle which was parked along Highway 96, and we do not believe any students were ever in any imminent danger.”
The Pike County Sheriff’s Department, Pleasant Hill Police Department, Illinois State Police, Illinois Conservation Police, and the Pittsfield Police Department all responded and assisted with the investigation.
Fesler was unaware that law enforcement had been notified and the school was placed on lock-down.
Following a search of the suspect’s vehicle, a loaded handgun, ammunition, alcohol, cannabis, and homemade body armor was located and seized by law enforcement.
Fesler has been charged with: unlawful use of weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm without a FOID card, unlawful possession of firearms ammunition without a FOID card, unlawful possession of alcohol by a minor.
Counselors were made available to students who were upset or feeling anxious about the incident. Orr said she could not comment on the number, if any, of students who visited the counselor, citing privacy matters.
A parent with a child at Pleasant Hill High School said her child was uneasy about going to school Monday after rumors circulated through the community that Fesler had been released on bond.
“I had to pull up Judici and show him it wasn’t true,” she said. “He told me that attendance was way down on Friday and he suspected it to have a connection to Thursday’s incident.”
A police presence at both the high school and elementary school was noted Friday.
Officials emphasize the school is safe and no student should be concerned about coming to school.
“Law enforcement officials searched the school and ensured the campus is safe to continue with school,” Orr said.
Chief Deputy Zack Orr said the investigation is still in the very early stages. Law enforcement officials are still conducting interviews and following up on leads. At this time, there have been no known direct threats to any school, students or school personnel regarding this incident.
