Mundelein student charged with making threats in what police say was a bad joke

A Mundelein High School student faces a felony disorderly conduct charge for compiling a list of people he purportedly wished to harm as part of a joke gone bad, authorities said.

Mundelein Police Chief Eric Guenther said the 14-year-old Mundelein student was talking with a 14-year-old girl during their first school period last Thursday when he told her he was going to put her name "on his list."

The student then wrote her name in a yellow spiral notebook. The notebook list had a threatening title and the names of other students, Guenther said. The unidentified student then showed the victim the list with her name on it, Guenther said.

Later that day, the victim was discussing what happened with friends when a teacher overheard the conversation, Guenther said. The teacher spoke with school staff members and the school resource officer.

The student was identified, the list was confiscated, and students on the list were interviewed, Guenther said.

"We interviewed all the names on the list and determined this was a mistaken attempt at humor by the student," Guenther said. "These incidents, humor or not, are inappropriate in school in this day and age. We will take action against this sort of behavior when appropriate."

Guenther said the student was referred to the Robert W. Depke Juvenile Justice Center near Vernon Hills for a future court date. Mundelein High School also disciplined the student, Guenther said