Suspicious object at high school harmless

A suspicious package which caused Barrington High School students to be dismissed early Tuesday has been determined to be harmless, authorities said.

The suspicious object, found after 1 p.m. near the school’s loading docks, was a water bottle with wires protruding from it that made it appear to be an explosive device, Barrington Unit District 220 spokesman Jeff Arnett said.

A review of security cameras throughout the high school identified the 16-year-old student who left the object near the loading dock, according to police.

The 16-year-old was questioned by police Tuesday afternoon and will be charged as a juvenile in the case, said Barrington Police Chief Jerry Libit.

The teen was processed and released to a parent early Tuesday evening.

The school dismissed students from classes as soon as the investigation began, and the campus was evacuated within 10 minutes of the announcement.

The school district brought buses to the campus early to help students get home and the evacuation was described by Arnett as quick and orderly.

“The whole thing took about 10 minutes,” he said.

A student admitted leaving the object where it was found, claiming he had no intent of causing a disruption.

The district’s board of education meeting at the high school was expected to occur at 6 p.m. Tuesday night as scheduled, and all away activities in boys and girls basketball and wrestling were expected to take place. All other after school activities at the school were canceled because of the early dismissal.