No pre-trial release in Ottawa school threat given for Bloomington man

Bruce Sirtoff may not have had bombs or assault weapons at his disposal, but a judge ruled Tuesday his threat of mass violence in Ottawa was too specific to be taken lightly.

Sirtoff, 37, of Bloomington, was ordered detained Tuesday in La Salle County Jail while awaiting trial on four felony charges led by making a terrorist threat, a Class X felony carrying six to 30 years in prison with no possibility of probation.

“There are few things as terrifying in our society. School shootings are all too real.”

—  Laura Hall, assistant La Salle County state's attorney

Sirtoff was charged after an incident early Friday in which he resisted arrest by Ottawa police – he also is charged with felony resisting and disorderly conduct – during which he threatened to conduct a mass shooting and to bomb Shepherd Middle School.

The La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain him in jail, which is required since Illinois abolished cash bonds last fall. Tuesday, Sirtoff was brought into La Salle County Circuit Court heavily manacled and with two corrections officers hovering in close proximity.

Prosecutor Laura Hall argued Sirtoff made specific statements – “These were not vague or veiled threats” – that made him a risk to the public.

Sirtoff, she said, identified a date he would carry out his threat, indicated what shirt he would wear and identified places at the school, where he had once been a student, to conceal himself and then “shoot as many people as he could.” Sirtoff also divulged he “would take down a couple of cops” if he had to.

Hall further noted Sirtoff has a criminal history, was not in compliance with sex-offender registry requirements and that officers received minor injuries taking Sirtoff into custody.

“I don’t know what less restrictive means [besides jail] could possibly be fashioned to ensure compliance with the law and protect the community,” Hall said. She later added, “There are few things as terrifying in our society. School shootings are all too real.”

Public Defender Ryan Hamer argued for release from county custody and conveyed Sirtoff advised he would comply with any terms of release.

Hamer argued Sirtoff had no weapons on him – “He had no ability to carry out any threats” – and the risk to the public needed to be tempered by what Hamer called a “mental health component.”

Hamer said Sirtoff was taken to a local hospital and then “calmed down.”

Hall disputed that. While being transported from the hospital to La Salle County Jail, an attendant officer advised Sirtoff he was barred from entering onto school property. Sirtoff, Hall said, told the officer he would “have to shoot up another school.”

Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. agreed the risk to the public ruled out any form of pre-trial release. The judge zeroed in on Sirtoff’s past offenses of violence, which included aggravated assault and domestic battery, and said he couldn’t view Sirtoff’s conduct as a one-time offense.

“The defendant does pose a real and present threat,” Ryan said.

Sirtoff sat with his head bowed through most of the proceedings. Ryan approved Sirtoff’s request for the services of the public defender and ordered him returned to court March 22, by which time a grand jury will have reviewed his charges.

The threat was uttered not at the school but at an Ottawa service station and during overnight hours when no students would have been on the Shepherd campus. In a Monday news release, Ottawa police said they raided Sirtoff’s residence, assisted by Bloomington police, but the search turned up “no items consistent with his threats.”