Glenbard West student accused of making bomb threat to school

A Glenbard West High School student has been accused of phoning in a bomb threat directed at the high school, authorities said.

The juvenile, a 17-year-old male, appeared at a detention Thursday morning where Judge Joshua Dieden ordered that he be detained until at least his next court date, which is scheduled for May 12. He has been charged with two counts of disorderly conduct, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

On May Wednesday, at approximately 11:12 a.m., a voicemail was left for administrators at Glenbard West High School stating, “West, you have ten minutes to get out or a bomb will go off on the first, second and third floor,” according to the release.

Authorities did not hear the voicemail until after 11:30 a.m. At 11:43 a.m., the school received another call stating the same threat, but the caller stated that the bomb would go off in 15 minutes. The Glen Ellyn school was evacuated and classes were canceled for the rest of the day, the release stated.

An investigation into the threats conducted by Glen Ellyn police led authorities to the juvenile as a suspect. The juvenile was taken into custody later that afternoon following a traffic stop in Glendale Heights, authorities said.

“With the school year coming to a close, I want to remind everyone that my office takes any threat directed at a school extremely seriously,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “Threats to bomb a school, as alleged in this case, are not harmless jokes or an excuse to blow off steam. They can have a terrifying impact on students, staff and the entire community and anyone suspected of making such a threat will be fully investigated and charged accordingly.”