Dad arrested months after boy brings gun to Island Lake school
More than five months after a Matthews Middle School student brought a loaded handgun to school, the boy’s father is facing charges, Island Lake police announced Wednesday.
The man, who is not being named by the Daily Herald to protect his juvenile son’s identity, was charged with three felony counts of obstructing a peace officer and one misdemeanor count of not having an Illinois firearm owner’s identification card, Chief William McCorkle said.
The man was arrested on a warrant following an Aug. 15 traffic stop, Island Lake Police Detective Barry Huedepohl said. He was released after posting bond at the police station.
No shots were fired and no one was hurt when the 14-year-old student brought the .25-caliber semiautomatic pistol to school in March. The gun was recovered after two students told the principal about it, police said at the time.
The boy had the gun in a pants pocket, police said. Investigators later learned the boy brought the gun to school to intimidate a romantic rival, Huedepohl said.
The student was charged in juvenile court with disorderly conduct, reckless conduct and unlawful use of a weapon, police said at the time.
Police initially were stymied as to where the boy got the gun. They eventually learned the boy found it at his father’s workplace in Lakemoor, reports indicate.
It’s unclear whether the man brought the gun to the workplace or if someone else brought it there. The gun’s ownership is under investigation, Huedepohl said.
After arriving at the school following the gun’s discovery, the man called a neighbor and asked the neighbor to remove rifles and other weapons from the house, Huedepohl said. He later told police he didn’t have any weapons at home.
That led to some of the charges, police said.
The man could not be reached for comment Wednesday.