Law enforcement investigates rumors of school violence
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By JESSICA BROWN
Local law enforcement and School Administrators in Winchester and surrounding towns were busier than usual last week when they had to work in conjunction with state law enforcement to calm fears about rumors of possible school shootings.
According to a press release issued by the Jacksonville Police Department late Friday, the department’s Investigative Division was made aware of a complaint of a Jacksonville Middle School student possessing a firearm.
After an investigation by the JMS School Resource Officer, detectives found that a 13-year-old juvenile had told several individuals at the school they had possession of a firearm.
According to the report the incident happened toward the end of the school day, outside the school and investigators said after interviewing all parties involved they received confirmation that no weapons had been displayed nor were firearms found in the juvenile’s home.
A second student who had spread the rumors about the supposed threat will be receiving disciplinary action from Jacksonville School District as actively disrupting school. The student who made the threat of possessing the weapon was arrested for disorderly conduct and taken into custody where he was later released to the custody of a family member.
In an unrelated incident, on Wednesday the Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center deemed multiple threats being made online toward JMS and Jacksonville High School as not credible.
Winchester Law Enforcement was taking precautions at the same time in relation to more unrelated threats on social media referencing several separate alleged planned shootings in both Illinois and Ohio specifically designated for Friday, September 20th.
On Thursday, September 19, parents of the Winchester Students were notified by the School Administrators that the district had been made aware of rumors being spread regarding a possible threat of violence that was allegedly scheduled to take place on September 20th.
“The Illinois State Police had been aware on Monday, September 16th of the rumor being spread on social media that possible shootings were being planned among other states and counties in Illinois that were to take place on September 20th,” Winchester Chief of Police Steve Doolin said. He said local law enforcement was made aware of the threat after State Police’s Division of Criminal Investigation had cleared the area around Winchester Schools and the community of any threat of danger.
It was after any concerns of safety to students, staff and community members that he gave the all clear to the School District to notify parents of the absolute safety for children to attend school on Friday, when rumors of the alleged shooting were to take place. Doolin said in order for him to be completely confident to do that he and officers from the Winchester Police Department worked on Monday and for the next several days with investigators to make certain all threats were deemed as not credible.
“I had to be 100% confident before I felt comfortable giving the all clear to the School,” he said. “ I have faith in the Illinois State Police that any threat was eliminated.”
As a precaution, Doolin said he stationed himself on Winchester School Grounds earlier than usual on the 20th. “I’m usually there at 7 in the morning but that day I got there at 5:30 a.m.,” he said.
Both local law enforcement in Jacksonville and Winchester will continue to work diligently with school officials to ensure the safety and security of all students and faculty.
