Police: New Trier Student Arrested for Tweeting Fake Bomb Threat

Police are warning students to think before they tweet after a 16-year-old male juvenile is being charged with disorderly conduct after sending a suspicious message on Twitter threatening to bring a bomb to New Trier High School, Winnetka Police reports state. Students were not evacuated from the school.

The tweet stated that the juvenile was going to bring a bomb to school and blow it up. The message came to the attention of Winnetka Police on the morning of March 6, and officers were able to confirm that there was no bomb within the morning. 

"This is a very severe incident, and it's fortunate that it turned out there was no bomb," Joe Pellus, Winnetka Deputy Chief of Police, stated. "What I'd like to get out to the public is that words matter. Social media messages aren't private."

Pellus said that if someone reads a message with similar threatening comment, they take the matter seriously and report it to the police. 

"This type of incident is similar to saying 'bomb' at the airport," he said. "It's going to be aggressively investigated."

The case has been referred to a peer jury. 

Representatives from New Trier High School declined to comment on the incident. 

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