Naperville student on home confinement, accused of posting threat to junior high

A Washington Junior High School student has been released to his parents after being arrested on charges of threatening to "shoot up the school" in an online chat room.

The boy is on home confinement, charged with a felony count of falsely reporting a threat to a school.

Prosecutors say the student posted in a chat room Monday and included the words "want to help" and "shoot up the school" in his post.

Others in the chat room were alarmed by the post and contacted Naperville Unit District 203 officials.

An investigation led by the Naperville Police Department led to the juvenile. He was taken into custody later the same day without incident.

"School safety continues to be a top priority of my administration," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a written release. "Any threatening message directed at a school will be thoroughly investigated and charged accordingly."

Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall said his department also takes any such threats seriously.

"Our department will continue to thoroughly investigate any threat made against any of our school communities," Marshall said in a written statement. "We will also hold those accountable for making any threats, which could jeopardize the safety of our schools."

The boy's next court appearance, before Judge Michael Wolfe, is scheduled for Jan. 10.