Taylorville High School student arrested on charges of threatening school | Main stories

TAYLORVILLE, Ill. (WAND) – A student has been arrested after police say he called them saying there was an active shooting threat at Taylorville High School.

At 9:27 a.m., Taylorville police received a call about an active shooting threat at the school.

Officers arrived two minutes later. They immediately began securing the school while school officials locked the school down.

Taylorville police learned that someone had written on one of the bathroom stall walls, “There is a school shooter in the building with a gun.” A student saw this and immediately informed the staff.

Police said they later learned the student who saw the threat actually wrote the threat.

He was detained and questioned at the police station.

Taylorville police said they learned that between the first and second hours of school, which is between 9:14 and 9:18 a.m., a student used the restroom to write a threat and reported it. They said his motive was to attract attention and leave school early.

State’s Attorney Wes Poggenpohl approved the charge of school disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony. The student will be transported to the Christian County Sheriff’s Office for processing.

The school has resumed, and no threat to the school or the community has been identified.

Police Chief Wheeler issued a stern warning to the students: “Stop this nonsense; they will end up in jail. It’s not worth it; this student wanted the attention he has now.’

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