Two Evanston area schools were placed on lockdown the morning of Sept. 12 following a knife altercation that led to five juveniles and one adult being arrested on misdemeanor mob action charges outside of Haven Middle School, Evanston police said.
“This was not a random act, but appears to be the culmination of a previous dispute between a group of juveniles. There is no threat to the public,” Evanston Police Commander Scott Sophier said in an email to Pioneer Press. According to a representative from the school district, nobody was injured in the incident.
Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Communications Manager Hannah Dillow released a statement from the district: “As a precautionary measure, Haven Middle School was placed on a lockdown due to an incident requiring police response outside of the school. This was advised by Evanston Police Department. Kingsley Elementary School entered into a Secure & Teach (or soft lockdown) due to its proximity to the incident.”
One juvenile was charged with possession of a knife on school grounds. On social media, Evanston police said, “A group was involved in an outdoor altercation, and a knife was presented.”
Another juvenile was also charged with two counts of battery to a police officer, criminal trespass and resisting arrest, according to Sophier.
Mob action is defined as “the knowing or reckless use of force or violence disturbing the public peace by two or more persons acting together and without authority of law,” according to the Illinois Criminal code.
Four of the five juveniles were referred to juvenile court and one was handled as a station adjustment according to Sophier. Illinois law defines a station adjustment as a procedure for juveniles who have committed an offense and it typically comes with conditions such as curfews, restrictions to a designated geographic area, no contact with specified persons, community service work, community mediation, peer court or restitution.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office is moving forward with the misdemeanor cases, Sophier said.