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2 guns found at Evanston Township High School
Two loaded handguns were recovered at Evanston Township High School Thursday morning – sending students and staff into lockdown for several hours. Police detained eight students in connection to the incident.
EVANSTON - Two 16-year-old boys were referred to juvenile court for felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon on school grounds, following the recovery of two guns found on Evanston Township High School's campus Thursday, according to police.
Two loaded handguns were recovered at the Evanston high school, sending students and staff into lockdown for several hours. Police detained eight students in connection to the incident.
Police said all other detainees, minus one taken to juvenile court for cannabis possession, were released without charges.
At about 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Evanston police said a school resource officer received a tip about students smoking marijuana in the bathroom. The officer and school safety staff found two students smoking and detained them.
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A further investigation led to the "discovery of two loaded guns and marijuana in backpacks on the ETHS campus," according to an email sent to parents Thursday from Superintendent Eric Witherspoon.
Six other students were also in the bathroom at the time.
"Four of these individuals were detained relatively quickly. Two of them were not detained for some time," said Commander Ryan Glew, Evanston Police Department.
Video sent to FOX32 Chicago shows police officers walk into a dark classroom where students were huddled together to detain one male student.
Students were kept in classrooms while Evanston police and ETHS staff searched the building. The lockdown was lifted and students were dismissed at 12:40 p.m.
"No shots were fired as part of this incident and there have been no injuries reported," said Commander Glew.