Student Brought Loaded Gun To ETHS Stashed In His Pants: Police

EVANSTON, IL — An Evanston Township High School student accused of bringing a gun to school has been charged with two felonies and ordered to remain held without bail pending a psychological evaluation.

Rashaun Watkins, 18, of the 4800 block of Lee Street, Skokie, was arrested after officers found a loaded gun in his pants during a pat-down search at a dean's office around 1 p.m. Wednesday, police said.

Prosecutors later approved two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, one for having a gun without a license and another for having an illegal gun while under the age of 21.

According to police and prosecutors, an ETHS student anonymously reported to a staff member that the student had seen Watkins with a gun on previous occasions, although the reporting student was unaware if Watkins had brought it to campus Wednesday.

The staffer notified school security staff, who checked security cameras and located Watkins in a stairwell, according to prosecutors. Police said staff brought him to a dean's office, where the Evanston Police Department school resource officer assigned to ETHS started his investigation.

Watkins was "passively noncompliant" during a pat down search, which added to the officer's suspicion that the student was carrying a gun.

The officer felt the handle of a gun in Watkins' pants and pulled a 9mm pistol loaded with 12 rounds out of his pants, authorities said.

Police said Watkins did not provide a statement to officers, but their investigation did not turn up any evidence of plans for a school shooting or other act of violence.

Watkins appeared in court remotely for his initial appearance Friday. A Cook County sheriff's deputy said he tested positive for COVID-19 and is being held in isolation at the Cook County Jail.

Cook County Circuit Judge Kelly McCarthy ordered Watkins to remain detained until he can be evaluated by forensic clinical services. Watkins is due back in court Nov. 18 for bond review.

"It's alleged that Mr. Watkins possessed a firearm inside Evanston Township High School," McCarthy said. "Based on the charge before the court, it is required that Mr. Watkins be held pending a psychological evaluation because of the charge, by law."

The gun Watkins is accused of bringing to school is the fourth recovered from the ETHS campus in the past year. The discovery of guns last December led to a hourslong lockdown and demands from parents to add metal detectors. School officials later said the guns were for students' personal protection and earlier this year decided against adding weapons detection systems.

Earlier: Loaded Gun Found At ETHS, Adult Student Arrested Pending Charges