Joliet West High School Freshman Arrested for Possession of Defaced Guns

A 15-year-old freshman at Joliet West High School has been detained at the River Valley Justice Center after Joliet police discovered two defaced guns in his bedroom. The student, whose name has not been released, will no longer be attending classes.

The Joliet police have charged the freshman with two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of defacing identification marks on a gun, unlawful possession of ammunition, and disorderly conduct. The incident gained attention when Joliet Patch reported the story on Wednesday morning. Later that night, Sgt. Dwayne English issued a press release, providing additional details about the crime, which resulted in increased police presence at the school.

The Joliet Police Department was alerted to a threat posted on Snapchat at 11:40 p.m. on Tuesday night. The post, shared in a group chat used by current freshmen at Joliet West High School, depicted two handguns. Upon receiving the information, the Joliet Police Detective assigned to the school immediately notified administrators and security. As a precautionary measure, extra police presence was provided during the school’s Wednesday morning hours.

The investigation led detectives to the suspect’s home in the 400 block of South Desplaines Street. The 15-year-old male student was taken into custody without incident. Upon searching the student’s bedroom, detectives found two loaded handguns that matched the ones displayed in the Snapchat post. The serial numbers on the guns appeared to be defaced.