Park Ridge Parents Concerned Over Online Gun Threat To Maine South

PARK RIDGE, IL — Parents of Park Ridge-Niles District 64 students expressed concern over school safety at a Monday board meeting following last week's arrest of two boys who allegedly posted social media threats to Maine South High School, Pioneer Press reported.

According to a statement from the school, administrators were notified of a possible threat early Monday morning last week. Police received an anonymous tip that images posted using the social media app Snapchat posts appeared to show a boy holding a gun connected with threats to summer classes at Maine South. Police quickly identified and detained two juveniles in connection with the tip.

A 15-year-old and a 12-year-old were arrested and face felony charges in juvenile court. Each was accused of one count of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of disorderly conduct, according to police. Classes went ahead as scheduled last week after police and school officials determined there was no threat to students or staff, administrators said. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Park Ridge — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

According to the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate, Park Ridge Police Chief Frank Kaminski proposed deploying a police officer to Lincoln Middle School. It would cost the district about $10,000 per every four hours a week spent at the school. Kaminiski said police stationed at local District 207 high schools have helped build good relationships between students and police, according to the paper.

Parents of District 64 students who spoke at Monday's meeting said they know the identity of the accused 12-year-old. And some parents expressed dismay that the district did not release a statement fast enough during the public comment portion of the meeting, Pioneer Press reported.

"As a concerned parent who has two young girls [at Washington Elementary and Lincoln Middle School] and moved to Park Ridge because of the excellent reputation of the schools, and left Chicago because I didn't want to deal with these issues, it came as a shock," said parent Dara Soljaga, according to the Herald-Advocate.

District 64 Superintendent Laurie Heinz sent an email to parents Friday saying one of the students attended school in the district but would not confirm it at the meeting. Citing privacy concerns, school officials have not disclosed the nature of potential discipline the students face.

In the middle of Monday's regular meeting, the board held a 30-minute closed session attended by Kaminski, according to the paper. District 64 Board President Anthony Borelli said the closed session was called to discuss issues related to last week's incident.

The accused 15-year-old had allegedly had several previous run-ins with Park Ridge police. One incident involved throwing toilet paper on a house, setting off a fire extinguisher at an elementary school and trespassing in a vacant home and a house under construction, police told the Pioneer Press. They said was not arrested for any of the incidents, but he was reported as a missing person in June.

Police told the Herald-Advocate there were no records of police contact with the 12-year-old. Three guns were located at his home, including the one seen in the Snapchat post, police said.

» Read more from the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate

Top photo: Lincoln Middle School | via District 64