Four arrested in Hoffman Estates High School bomb hoax

Hoffman Estates police have arrested four teens after determining a bomb threat at Hoffman Estates High School Wednesday morning was a hoax to try to get them out of school for the day.

Sharell M. Thomas, 18, of the 7500 block of Bristol Lane in Hanover Park was charged with disorderly conduct for false transmission of a bomb threat — a Class 3 felony.

In bond court Thursday, Thomas was issued a $20,000 recognizance bond, put on 24-hour house arrest and given a next court date of Dec. 6.

Charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct were Markeisha N. Jones, 18, of the 7500 block of Bristol Lane in Hanover Park, and two juveniles — an approximately 15-year-old girl from Hanover Park and an approximately 16-year-old boy from Hoffman Estates.

Jones was released on a $1,500 bond and given a court date of Dec. 18. The other two are being prosecuted as juveniles.

Hoffman Estates High School was on a soft lockdown for about an hour Wednesday morning after the bomb threat. Police responded around 8:44 a.m. A search of the school and perimeter for suspicious items was conducted. The lockdown ended at 9:40 a.m.

During the search, there were several more hoax calls to the school office reporting a bomb. They came in around the same time similar calls were being made to Lake Park High School in Roselle.

An investigation by Hoffman Estates detectives developed information leading to the identity of the suspects involved in the hoax bomb threats, whose intention was to get the group out of class for a day.

Daily Herald staff writers Jessica Cilella, Eric Peterson and Barbara Vitello contributed to this report