An online video gaming chatroom was used to post the Nov. 17  threat related to Naperville North High School said Principal Kevin Pobst.

Pobst said the Naperville Police Department was made aware of the threat by the gaming site’s managers. Once police investigated the threat, they determined it was not credible; therefore, the police department and District 203 officials agreed that school should go on as planned.

“The decision was made collaboratively by administrators in consultation with the Naperville Police authorities—though a decision of this magnitude is always ultimately the responsibility of the superintendent of schools,” Pobst said in an email with the “North Star.” 

Pobst would not specify exactly what type of threat was made, saying only that “it fit into the category of violations in the student handbook known as level three.”

Such an offense includes such things as a weapons threat, a bomb threat or general threats to the safety of students and staff. According to the student handbook, level three offenses can result in immediate suspension and/or expulsion.

“The student is being disciplined appropriately,” Pobst said.

NNHS resource officer Brett Heun said the investigation is still ongoing.

“Right now, we are gathering more information on the person involved and trying to get them the help that they need,” Heun said.

Pobst said the investigation began when the site’s managers gave the police department enough information to go to the home of person making the threat and confront the person. Police then determined the person had neither the intent nor the means to carry out the threat.

“Without going into specific details on this, we investigate by identifying the person, talking to them, doing some searches possibly, talking to family members and whoever else may have been involved,” Heun said. “It was not a credible threat.”

To be considered a credible threat, it would have presented imminent danger, Heun said.

In an announcement to NNHS on Nov. 18, Pobst explained the situation and assured student safety. This generated a variety of reactions from students.

Senior Erin Crawford felt afraid at the time of the announcement.

“They should have called the parents the night before and gave them the option to send their kids to school,” Crawford said. “As far as handling it with the police department, that was great.”

Senior Hannah Mansfield disagrees. She felt perfectly safe at school.

“If they told us the night before, kids wouldn’t have shown up to school or parents would have been worried,” Mansfield said. “It was good that they investigated it first before telling people.”