Gun Seized, Ex Plainfield Student Arrested For Snapchat Threat

PLAINFIELD, IL — A vague social media threat posted by a former Drauden Point Middle School prompted District 202 officials to notify police late Monday night. District 202 spokesman Tom Hernandez said the district immediately contacted police after learning of the threat, which came in the form of a photo a former student posted of himself holding a gun.

The post contained a "non-credible, non-specific threat," but given recent events including the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, "we don’t wait, and we don’t mess around," Hernandez said. The student was interviewed by Plainfield and Joliet police and placed in custody, according to district officials.

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Drauden Point Principal Pat Flynn sent a message to parents on Tuesday afternoon notifying them of the incident and assuring families that the District 202 campus was not the target of the threat:

Plainfield Police Department working with the Joliet Police Department were able interview the former student and after securing the weapon, placed the individual in custody, where he remains at this time. At no time were Drauden Point students or staff the target of this posting. However, in light of recent events involving school violence we wanted to inform law enforcement officials and let them investigate and share the results with parents. The information was the result of responsible individuals of all ages who followed the “see something, say something” practice and for that we are thankful.

Joliet police told the Herald-News the 17-year-old posted a selfie of himself with a gun on Snapchat. Plainfield police reportedly contacted Joliet police about the post, and Joliet sent a tactical team to the teen's home in the 2200 block of Timber Trail, where tactical officers spoke to the teen's parents and recovered a semi-automatic handgun and ammunition.

The 17-year-old was taken into custody on charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possessing a firearm without a FOID card and sent to the River Valley Juvenile Detention Center.

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