16-Year-Old Oak Lawn Student Charged With Texting Bomb Threats

OAK LAWN, IL — A fifth juvenile has been charged with making bomb threats against Oak Lawn schools. The 16-year-old Oak Lawn Community High School student was arrested Tuesday following a month-long investigation, police said in a news release.

Students first reported receiving disturbing text messages threatening to blow up school buildings and killing administrators in Oak Lawn and nearby suburbs on Nov. 5. Oak Lawn Community High School dismissed classes, while Richards and Stagg High School went on soft lockdown. Another round of threatening texts and social media messages were received Nov. 8, as schools continued to limit movement in hallways and access to outside areas.

Investigators, including Oak Lawn police and the FBI, were able to identify the five students alleged to be involved in sending the threats. The fifth student taken into custody on Tuesday will be charged as a juvenile with three counts of disorderly from Nov. 5 and Nov. 8. The student was released to the custody of a parent and will be petitioned to the court.

Another OLCHS student and two students from Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School were arrested and charged Nov. 15. The three students told police they made the threats as a “prank,” police said.

On Nov. 17, a 16-year-old student at Richards High School was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct who police said threatening texts to the school and principal.

In a statement to students last month, principal Jeana Lietz said any OLCHS student found to be involved in the threats would be recommended for expulsion to the Dist. 229 school board.

“Our detectives assigned to the cases were relentless in their pursuit to identify the individuals involved, using every resource at their disposal to ensure the safety of our schools, students and staff,” said Chief Dan Vittorio, of the Oak Lawn Police Department. “Their success would not have been possible without collaboration from the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, who provided round the clock support, technology and guidance working up the case.”