ADDISON, IL – Three youths involved with a cartoon threatening Indian Trial Junior High School in Addison face felony charges, authorities said.
The suspects are a 14-year-old girl from Lombard and two 12-year-old girls from Addison, police said.
In a news release, DuPage County prosecutors said the two Addison girls on Aug. 11 created a video depicting themselves as cartoon figures "walking around a school, taking out rifles, shooting students and then killing themselves."
Authorities said the video contained a handwritten map showing Indian Trail's interior layout with the lunchroom, office, nurse and bathroom, as well as depicting the youths shooting in the hallway at drawn figures with the sounds of gunshots and screams.
The Lombard 14-year-old allegedly transmitted a threat of violence directed at Indian Trail through Snapchat and WhatsApp to one of the Addison girls while asking her about the school's security measures. The 14-year-old said she would buy a gun and do a school shooting at 15, police said.
The matter came to the attention of authorities after two students at the school overheard one of the Addison girls talking on the phone about the plot with the Lombard girl, prosecutors said. The students immediately contacted the school resource officer.
"First and foremost, I commend the students who brought this matter to authorities for their courage and concern for their fellow students and staff," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.
The girls were ordered to be in home detention with electronic monitoring.
The Lombard juvenile was charged with one count of felony disorderly conduct by transmitting a threat to a school building.
The two Addison juveniles were each charged with two counts of disorderly conduct by transmitting a threat to a school building.
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