Loaded Gun Found At ETHS, Adult Student Arrested Pending Charges

EVANSTON, IL — An adult Evanston Township High School student faces criminal charges after authorities said he was caught bringing a loaded handgun to campus Wednesday.

ETHS school officials pledged to fully cooperate with the Evanston Police Department investigation of the incident.

"We have been in touch with the student’s family regarding any appropriate disciplinary action," officials said in a statement.

Prosecutors have not yet to approve any felony charges, and the student is not expected to make an initial court appearance until Friday, according to Evanston Police Cmdr. Ryan Glew.

Police and school officials said there was no indication of any specific safety threats to students or staff related to the gun.

"The investigation did not reveal plans for a school shooting or an act of violence against students or staff," Glew told Patch.

According to officials, school staff learned about the gun after someone notified a trusted adult. They encouraged students to report any suspicious activity to staff or police.

"Please be assured that we continue to do everything we can to ensure the safety of our students and staff at ETHS," it said.

It's the fourth gun found on campus in less than a year. In December 2021, two students were petitioned delinquent in juvenile court after a pair of guns were found.

ETHS's campus was placed in lockdown for several hours during that investigation. Principal Taya Kinzie later said the students brought the guns to school "for personal protection based on violence in the community."

And in June, staff at a summer camp on the Evanston Township High School campus notified police that a middle school-aged boy a gun in his backpack, leading to juvenile charges.

Following last year's lockdown, at least 200 parents signed a petition to urge district administrators to install metal detectors on campus.

The board hired outside consultants to prepare a security assessment, and in May, administrators announced that they decided not to install metal detectors or any other weapons detection systems.

Marcus Campbell, then ETHS principal and now its superintendent, explained that it is easy to bypass metal detectors, the Evanston Round Table reported.

“Metal detectors do not serve as a preventive measure against school violence," Campbell told the school board. "And ETHS cannot give the impression that a solution has been given to a problem that would still exist."

Related:
2 Guns Found, Lockdown At Evanston Township High School
Principal Says Guns That Prompted ETHS Lockdown Were For 'Personal Protection'
Boy Brings Gun To Youth Camp At Evanston Township High School, Police Say