Elmhurst teen made threats to York High School on Snapchat: prosecutors

A 15-year-old high school student from Elmhurst was charged with making threats over social media directed toward York High School in the west suburbs.

The boy appeared for a detention hearing Wednesday morning on the charge of felony disorderly conduct, according to the DuPage County state’s attorneys’s office. He remains unnamed because he’s charged as a juvenile.

Prosecutors said the teen held a rifle, later determined to be an Airsoft gun, while making threatening remarks against the school, 355 W. St. Charles Rd., in Elmhurst. He posted the video to social media platform Snapchat on Monday, prosecutors said.

DuPage County authorities learned of the post the next day and began investigating, prosecutors said.

In a statement, Elmhurst police said they were alerted on Tuesday of an “internet threat” of a student pictured with an Airsoft gun “referencing school show and tell.”

Detectives arrested the the teen at school the next day, met with the teen’s father, and were working with school officials for further action, police said. Authorities said they believe the incident was isolated and that the teen poses no credible threat to the community.

In a statement, Elmhurst School District 205 Supt. David Moyer said the post was removed and did not directly identify York High School. He said the “educational environment of the high school was not interrupted.”

“We are working diligently with law enforcement to ensure that the safety of our students and staff remains our top priority,” Moyer said. “Social media threats are taken seriously. Please think before you post.”

The teen’s next court date was set for Sept. 23, police said.