16-year-old arrested in Illinois for allegedly planning a school shooting
- The State's Attorney's Office has filed a petition to transfer the case to adult court and will request the suspect be tried as an adult.
- The 16-year-old faces three felony charges.
A 16-year-old teenager has been arrested in central Illinois for allegedly plotting a school shooting.
Police in Peoria, a city about 75 miles north of Springfield, received a tip that a group of teens — one from Peoria and three others from Vermillion County — were using Discord, a chat messaging system, to plan a school shooting, according to a news release from the Peoria County State's Attorney's Office.
The chat also discussed plans to stockpile weapons.
The Peoria teenager recorded the threat in a journal recovered by police, the release said. The journal contained drawings, building layouts and research into the juvenile court system and potential criminal charges.
The Peoria teen was previously known to police for a school shooting threat that occurred last year, according to police.
Two males and a female from Vermillion County were also a part of the investigation. Members of the Peoria Police Department were first informed of the threat by law enforcement officials from Vermillion County.
Authorities have not specified what school was the intended target.
Teen faces felony charges
On Monday, the State's Attorney's Office charged the 16-year-old boy with three felony charges: making a terrorist threat, disorderly conduct and conspiracy. The teenager is currently in custody at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center.
The State's Attorney's Office has filed a petition to transfer the case to adult court and will request the suspect be tried as an adult.
"School safety is a top priority. I want to reassure the public that thanks to the quick action by lawenforcement, there is currently no school or student in danger from this threat," Peoria County State's Attorney Jodi Hoos said in a statement. "This is just one example of how we are constantly monitoring this area and focusing on keeping students safe.”
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Peoria Police Department at (309) 673-4521.