The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner
Two male juveniles, age 15 and 16, were charged with aggravated battery and taken to court and put on home confinement until they appear in juvenile court later this month after an incident of BB pistols in a West Central School District parking lot occurred.
A person driving past West Central High School on US 34 last Friday morning phoned 911 on his cell and reported seeing two young men shooting guns toward students on school property.
Henderson County Sheriff Mark Lumbeck said he was not available during the ordeal, but his office received the report at 8:15 a.m. and his office called the school and his Deputy and two Illinois State Police officers rushed to West Central along Hwy 34 where high school and elementary classes were in session.
Superintendent Ralph Grimm, whose office is in the elementary building, said he took the call and was told there was a gunman on campus and he ordered a lockdown.
"I was told someone was in our parking lot with a gun and they said lock down your building and wait." the police were on their way.
Grimm said they were in the process of writing a crisis management plan and a committee had already been scheduled for Thursday to review a plan, but they put what they had in place before it was complete. Grimm informed the principals of the situation and they announced they were immediately going into "lockdown and it was for real."
When lock down occurs, Grimm said, teachers are to get students inside their classrooms, pull down shades, turn off lights, and keep away from doors and windows.
"Then," Grimm said, "we wait until it is all clear from police agencies."
Office staff in the glass offices were immediately moved to another location and janitors checked classrooms and doors.
The situation took approximately 30 minutes with the incident contained in the east parking lot, east of the bus garage.
Grimm felt things went smoothly and the staff and the students are to be commended.
"They took it very seriously,." he said. "We did learn a lot and I have debriefed two principals and some teachers and I am taking feedback to a committee meeting later this week."
Because the students are minors, names have not been disclosed, but student discipline will most likely be discussed in executive session Thursday, and if needed, a vote would be taken afterwards in open session as law requires.
A note was sent home with students Monday to explain the incident to parents.
"We are so glad someone called," Grimm said. "But, I hope I never get another call like this.
"I am very pleased how things went, however, and if it ever should happen again, we will be even better prepared in dealing with problems of this type."
The driver who called 911, had identified a vehicle in the parking lot, and officers were given permission to search it, Sheriff Lumbeck said. "There were two bb pistols (soft pellet guns) the bbs being larger in size than bb guns.
"It looks like a 45 automatic revolver, only it is plastic, and stings" the sheriff said.
They are the next generation of paint ball guns where participants dress in camouflage and play war games in wooded areas and target and hit each other.