CRETE, IL — A series of security incidents culminated in the arrest of a Crete-Monee High School student after a purported gun threat on campus was later admitted to be a joke, according to the Crete Police Department.
Reports indicate the episode began unfolding around 12:40 p.m. Wednesday when law enforcement was summoned over a reported firearm in a classroom. Subsequent investigations revealed the claim as a hoax after no gun was found during an extensive search of the premises.
The initial report triggered a cascade of security responses, including a lockdown and a multi-agency emergency reaction. As per the police department’s media release, the atmosphere of alarm was exacerbated when the student in question jokingly stated to have a gun, escalating the tension among the school community.
The Crete-Monee School District 201-U, addressing the chain of events, underscored that the swift implementation of their ALICE safety protocol prevented any real threat to student welfare. Despite the absence of physical danger, the student’s prank has had serious repercussions, with law enforcement pressing felony charges. That student, who has not been identified due to juvenile status, is now being held at The Juvenile Detention Center in Joliet.
