PEORIA — A 15-year-old Manual High student was suspended from school Friday, returned to property with a firearm and fired multiple rounds outside of the building, according to a statement from Peoria police Chief Eric Echevarria.
The teenager struck the building, but he did not appear to be targeting people, only the school, Echevarria said. A firearm was recovered and the boy was arrested and faces multiple charges.
“I want to stress that there was no way to predict this act. What made the difference was the quick response of our officers, who were already in the area,” Echevarria said in the statement. “Because of their vigilance, the suspect was arrested within minutes, and no students, staff, or officers were harmed.”
Echevarria thanked school staff for working closely with the department and said he understood the fear families experienced while waiting for Manual to be secured. He also stressed the department is working diligently to keep Peoria schools, including Manual, safe.
“We will continue to keep a strong police presence not only at Manual but throughout Peoria Public Schools. We will continue working side by side with school administrators, teachers, and families to maintain safety, open communication, and trust,” he said. “The Peoria Police Department is fully committed to protecting our schools and our community.”
According to the Peoria Police Department, at 2:23 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, they received a ShotSpotter alert of four rounds fired in the 2400 block of West Wiswall Street. No one was injured, but Manual did sustain damage.
Officers identified a boy who matched the description of the suspect seen fleeing the area on foot. Police then took the teen into custody and transported him to the Police Department for questioning.
The teenager has been initially charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, criminal damage to property, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a handgun and ammunition while being under the age of 21, and obstructing and resisting arrest, according to police. He is being held at the Peoria County Juvenile Detention Center.
The shooting was the second in three days near the Peoria high school. Another shooting took place Wednesday two blocks away from the school when a 15-year-old girl was hospitalized after she was grazed by a bullet. The building was placed under lockdown after the shooting, which took place after an early dismissal.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria police chief: Teen in shooting outside Manual HS was student who had been suspended
Reporting by Staff report / Journal Star
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