Larkin High School in Elgin was briefly put on lockdown Friday morning after a teen was seen with a realistic-looking BB-style gun outside the building, according to officials.
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A 17-year-old male was arrested for disorderly conduct at the school, Elgin police said.
According to police, shortly after 10 a.m., school administrators at Larkin High School, 1475 Larkin Avenue, reported to the Elgin Police Department school resource officer that two students were potentially in possession of a handgun while in a vehicle in the parking lot of the school.
A pellet gun was recovered in the vehicle. Police found that only one of the male juveniles in the vehicle, both 17, had the pellet gun, police said.
Mary Fergus, spokeswoman for Elgin School District U46, said the lockdown was declared after a report of someone with a gun outside the building. According to a Facebook posting, a student inside the building texted about 10:20 a.m. that teachers had been told to turn off lights and keep their students out of sight of windows and doors.
Fergus said the investigation revealed that the weapon actually was an Airsoft gun, which looks like a real gun but is nonlethal. “The students and staff remained safe throughout the incident,” and the lockdown was lifted quickly, she said.
The teen was taken into custody and will be charged with one count of disorderly conduct-alarming and disturbing behavior and will be released to the custody of his parents, police said.
According to the manufacturer’s website, Airsoft guns are “air-powered ballistic projectors that replicate real fire arms.” The company says they use air pressure to fire a 6 mm “ball projectile” and the replica guns “are used for recreation and professional training.”