Oak Lawn police arrest 5th teen for making school threats

By Bob Bong

Oak Lawn police announced last week they had arrested a fifth teen for his role in a series of bomb threats made against schools in Oak Lawn and surrounding communities.

The fifth teen, also a minor, was arrested November 30 and charged with three counts of disorderly conduct for bomb threats he allegedly made on November 5 and November 8, Gerald Vetter, division chief of investigations said in a release.

The 16-year-old was a student at Oak Lawn Community High School. He was released to the custody of a parent and he will be petitioned to court on the charges.

Police said the latest arrest concludes its month-long investigation into the threats that were made via various social media apps.

“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,” Vetter said. “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.”

Investigators were successful in identifying five minors involved in the transmission of the threats.

One of the students arrested earlier attended Oak Lawn Community High School, another attended Richard High School in Oak Lawn, and the other two were students at Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School.

All four were charged and referred to the juvenile court system. Their names were withheld because they are minors.

Vetter said the Richards students was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct for transmitting a bomb threat against the school and transmitting a threat to shoot the principal.

Specific charges against the other three were not released.

Administrators at the schools involved said the students would face disciplinary action that might include expulsion.