Gun Scare Shuts Down Lockport High School Homecoming Dance
CBS (CHICAGO) – High school students in the southwest suburbs returned to class today after a frightening homecoming Saturday. Reports of a student with a gun at the dance forced other students to race out of the building.
At approximately 7:45 p.m., a student notified a Lockport police officer present at the dance he had heard a student had brought a gun to the dance, according a statement released by the Lockport Township School District.
The first student provided a description of the alleged gunman, who was later detained by police. While in custody, the student admitted he had brought a BB gun to the dance, but had passed it to another student when he saw police searching the fieldhouse.
The student to whom the gun had been passed was also taken into police custody once he re-entered the cafeteria. He told police he had buried the gun in a yard nearby. Police recovered the gun from the location soon after.
At approximately 8:45 p.m., a large group of students in a hallway outside the fieldhouse became startled and began rushing for the exit. Some students fell on top of each other and were injured. Julie Bailey Obradovic, a mother whose daughter was attending the dance, posted on Facebook that "kids were falling and getting trampled" due to the rumors of an active shooter.
Nicki D'Angelo and her friends were excited about attending homecoming dance Saturday night. But when word spread that a student had a gun, the fun turned to chaos.
"I started hyperventilating. I didn't know where my brother was," she said.
"All reports of an active shooter or subject with a gun at the Lockport Township High School this evening are false," Illinois State Police posted Saturday night.
The dance was shut down at 9:30 p.m., a half hour earlier than scheduled.
Tim Kuncis said he's angry the night his two daughters looked forward to was ruined by fellow students.
"It was a traumatic experience for all the kids I'm sure," Kuncis said. "They should know better."
Lockport Township high school announced Monday "two LTHS students are facing criminal charges and school disciplinary action". The superintendent said this is considered serious gross misconduct and an update can be expected tomorrow.
