Glenbard South student charged with bringing gun to school

A male Glenbard South High School student has been accused of bringing a gun to school, authorities said.

The student appeared at a bond hearing Thursday where Judge Joshua Dieden set bond at $500,000, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

He is charged with two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in public – school and two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, the release stated.

On Wednesday, the dean of the high school received information that on May 8, at approximately 3:15 p.m., a student had allegedly threatened other students with a firearm while in the school parking lot. Upon receiving this information, school authorities and law enforcement met the student in the parking lot of the school at his car.

Inside the car, authorities allegedly found an unloaded .44 caliber firearm. The student was taken into custody at this time by the school resource officer. On investigation into the matter continues, according to the release.

“School safety remains a top priority of my office,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “Schools are central to our communities and incidents such as alleged in this case, can have a chilling effect on not only the students and staff at the school, but all of us. We must all work together to ensure our schools remain a safe place where teachers can teach and students can learn without fear for their personal safety. My office takes any sign of potential violence involving a school very seriously and anyone suspected of any such behavior will be investigated and charged accordingly.”

“I am very grateful this situation was diffused in a peaceful and professional manner,” DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick said in the release “We are all thankful that our deputies were not called upon to make a split-second decision that could spell the difference between an uneventful situation or a tragedy. Our office hosts a weeklong course in crisis intervention that every deputy must attend. That training, combined with the professionalism of all those involved, prevented the kind of tragedy that all too often occurs in these situations.”

The student’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 17 for bond review.