NEWS RELEASE

RIVERSIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT 31 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546

22 March 2014
Contact:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Tom Weitzel
tweitzel@riverside.il.us

708.447.2127

Follow RPD on Twitter @pdriverside

Riverside Police Make Additional Arrests in Reference to an Attack that Took Place at the High School on Wednesday Police arrest Chicago juvenile for making threats towards high school On Friday March 21, 2014 at 11:30 a.m., the Riverside Police along with the WEDGE Gang and Drug Task Force arrested and took into custody a 16-year-old male juvenile from Chicago for making threatening statements on Facebook towards students at Riverside Brookfield High School. The threat was initially posted on Facebook on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. after a 17-year-old Bellwood juvenile was arrested at the high school for several felonies involving an attack in the hallways. Once the 17-year-old male juvenile was arrested and processed, he was released back into DCFS custody. Later that night, Riverside Police were notified by a Brookfield resident who has a student at RB High School that there were postings on Facebook which stated, "We're going to get five carloads of people and we're going to come and shoot up students on sight." This was a reference made to students at Riverside Brookfield High School who had knowledge of the arrest that surrounded the individual who was arrested on Wednesday for the attack. Riverside Police opened an investigation immediately and were able to track down the Facebook account to an individual who lived in Chicago. After attempting to have the offender surrender himself which he notified police he would not do, he told Riverside investigators that they'd have to come find him that he would never surrender on those charges. Working directly with the WEDGE Gang and Drug Task Force on Friday, Riverside Police were able to take the juvenile into custody on the street on the 1700 block of West Erie Street in Chicago. His parents were notified and he was transported back to Riverside Police Department.

Through the interview process it was learned that the juvenile had posted these threatening messages on Facebook because he thought that his friend, the individual who was arrested on Wednesday afternoon, was getting a "raw deal" and that he was going to defend him by making a statement that he would shoot students in retaliation for picking on his friend. Once in police custody, the 16-year-old juvenile stated he never intended to come to the school and shoot anyone he just wanted to defend his friend and scare both students and staff at the high school. Riverside Police charged a male 16-year-old juvenile of Chicago with one count of felony disorderly conduct. This charge arose out of transmitting a threat of bodily harm and violence over Facebook. Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel stated, This arrest was a direct result of the incident that took place at the school on Wednesday, March 19 at 12:21 p.m. The Riverside Police Department will continue to use every resource available to them to ensure that these incidents do not happen and when and if they do, we will criminally charge those involved. We utilized the services of the WEDGE Gang and Drug Task Force and within three hours of searching for the suspect, he was taken into custody in Chicago. The juvenile arrested never did show up at Riverside Brookfield High School or drive to the area of the high school to threaten students. However, Riverside Police did notify the school and our surrounding police jurisdictions to assist us with extra patrols in the area of the high school. Chief Weitzel went on to say, Due to the fact that this was a completely false report and large police resources were used, I will be seeking reimbursement from the juvenile's family or DCFS who played a role in this incident when his case is heard in the juvenile court system. Taxpayers of Riverside should not be stuck with paying the overtime on a criminal case that was bogus from the onset.

###