A Fenton High School student, plotting a “Columbine-style” shooting at the school using his grandfather’s weapons, was overheard warning peers and now stands charged with solicitation of murder and intimidation.
Matthew Balman, 17, of the 600 block of South York Road, Bensenville, planned to provoke police into killing him at the Bensenville school, Assistant DuPage County State’s Atty. Richard Russo told Judge John Panegasser at a bond hearing Tuesday. Bail was set at $1 million.
Balman was arrested May 8, a day before the date that he had told fellow students not to come to school, DuPage authorities said. The students relayed the information to officials, who contacted the police liaison officer, Wood Dale Police Officer Monica Shackelford.
After Balman was taken into custody, he underwent a psychiatric evaluation for several days at Alexian Brothers Hospital in Hoffman Estates, Russo said.
In Bond Court Tuesday, the youth appeared calm as he answered Panegasser’s questions. There was no mention of a mental or physical health issue. Balman’s relatives were not present.
Russo said Balman “and others” were intending to use a rifle, handgun and ammunition belonging to his grandfather, a veteran with whom he lives. Russo did not identify any other suspects, and no one else has been arrested.
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“These students who came forward are heroes,” said DuPage County State’s Atty. Joseph Birkett. “Any time there is a threat of suspicion of possible violence at school, that threat must be taken very seriously by all of us.”
In 1999, two students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., killed 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves.
Parents learned of the alleged plot at Fenton through an automated telephone call from the principal, said Jeannie Angelopoulos of Bensenville, whose son Angelo is a freshman.
“I was terrified,” she said. “It was disturbing.”
She said her fears were calmed when she went to the campus on May 9 and saw police officers from Bensenville and Wood Dale.
Alf Logan, superintendent of Fenton Community High School District 100, said Balman was suspended, pending school board action. He said classes were not canceled.
Carole Fitzpatrick of Wood Dale said the alleged plot was troubling, especially so soon after the deaths of 33 at Virginia Tech. She said that her son, Shawn, a senior, knew Balman, who had recently broke up with a girlfriend. Fitzpatrick questioned whether charging Balman with felonies wasn’t an overreaction, since no one was hurt.
“For them to go into a hard-core response is scary,” she said. “I do believe something needs to happen. I would like to think they would try to secure help for him in addition to some type of legal charges.”
Jessica Lopez, a junior at Fenton, said after school Tuesday that Balman “was a nice guy sometimes, but sometimes he was over the top. Anybody can do anything when they get over the top.”
Balman told the judge that he was employed at a Bensenville hot dog stand and lives in an apartment with his aunt, grandfather and two cousins. A woman who answered the door at Balman’s home Tuesday declined to comment.
Russo said police records indicate that Balman’s father is serving time for murder in Wisconsin and that his mother was charged this month with drug offenses.
Russo said Balman was charged as a juvenile last July with aggravated battery with a weapon. The case is pending.
DuPage County Circuit Court records indicate he was charged this year with driving too fast for conditions and being involved in an accident, and driving without a license.
Panegasser told Balman that if he were released on bail, he would be banned from entering Fenton and prohibited from possessing firearms.
Balman’s next court date is June 11 before Judge George Bakalis.
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