17-year-old arrested after social media post containing ‘possible threat’ against Marengo Community High School

A 17-year-old boy was arrested following a social media post containing a “possible threat” directed at Marengo Community High School, Marengo police said.

Multiple calls Monday alerted Marengo police to the social media post, the department said in a news release. Marengo police were able to “quickly identify and locate the alleged source of the social media post.”

The post was made on the photo sharing platform Snapchat, Marengo Police Department acting Chief Paul Fritz said in an interview.

Fritz said police and school officials would not be releasing any more details about the nature of the threat. Disclosing the specific intentions indicated by the threat would be revealing “too much facts of the case, especially with it involving a juvenile,” Fritz said.

The teenager is charged with a single class of disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony.

“The Marengo Police Department takes any threat like this very seriously,” the department said in the release.

The 17-year-old was transported to the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center pending a detention hearing, according to the release. The teenager’s name is not being released because of his age.

The Marengo Police Department said it does not think any threat to the public or the school exists at this time. It will provide extra patrol and security around the school.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this investigation.