School Security Guard Charged with Pulling Gun on Student in Illinois

The suspect was charged with felony counts of disorderly conduct and aggravated battery related to the incident, which took place Nov. 28.

• By Jessica Davis
• December 20, 2018

A school security guard faces felony charges after he allegedly pressed a gun against a student’s chest last month at Academy for Learning High School in Dolton, Ill.

The suspect was charged with felony counts of disorderly conduct and aggravated battery related to the incident, which took place Nov. 28. The incident began when he tried to break up a fight involving three students while he was working as a security guard on the campus, according to Dolton Police Cmdr. Scot Maton.

During the incident, the suspect grabbed one of the students, slammed him into a wall and pushed him to the ground, according to a Dolton police report. The conflict escalated with yelling and more physical contact.

The other school security guards stepped in and separated them, according to police. The suspect was asked to leave campus for the day and went to his car.

When two of the students involved in the fight left the school building, the suspect confronted them again, yelling. According to police, he pulled a black firearm from his waistband and put the muzzle against the chest of one of the students, continuing to yell. The confrontation was witnessed by another security guard, police said.

School officials said they took “swift action” after the incident, including banning the suspect from entering the school in the future. Sandra Thomas, executive director of ECHO Joint Agreement, which operates the school, said the school will continue to work with law enforcement to see that the suspect is “prosecuted to the maximum extent of the law.”

“It is imperative that we keep students safe while on school property and the alleged actions of this security guard directly contradict the measures we take to ensure the safety of our school community,” Thomas said in a statement.