By Kate Reynolds, Sept. 21, 2023
On Wednesday evening (9-21), a La Salle Peru high school student noticed a social media post of another student posing with a weapon. The student reported what he saw to the La Salle Police Department.
“The investigation showed a kid was posing with a weapon,” Police Chief Mike Smudzinski said. “The student is not in school and was referred to the Juvenile Delinquency Divison. The student was charged with a felony and disorderly conduct.”
The Juvenile Delinquency Division at the LaSalle County State’s Attorney’s office prosecutes defendants younger than 18 when the alleged crime was committed. Delinquency cases are initiated through a referral or by arrest and detention.
“Due to the worrisome nature of the post, local law enforcement immediately initiated an investigation and contacted the L-P administration,” Superintendent Dr. Steven R. Wrobleski wrote. “Police took the necessary steps to ensure there was no threat to our school.”
“I would like to reiterate my thanks to our local law enforcement and L-P leadership team for the exceptional work they do in handling safety matters,” Wrobleski added.
LP High School has procedures to ensure student safety. Students and families can share potential safety concerns with an anonymous reporting tool, Safe2SpeakUp (www.lphs.net/safeshare). Wrobleski said the tool is another way to report concerning behavior to the School Safety Office.