Police take student into custody, recover gun at Highland Park school

A student with a gun at a special-needs school in Highland Park was apprehended on Tuesday afternoon, according to an alert from the City of Highland Park.

According to the City, police responded at 1:39 p.m. to North Shore Academy, 754 Red Oak Lane, and took a juvenile with a firearm into custody. No shots were fired nor were injuries reported, and the city said, “There was no indication at this time there was intent to harm others.”

The city said the incident appears isolated but police were increasing patrols at area schools.

North Shore School District 112 schools Red Oak and Sherwood were placed in a “secure status” — which according to the school protocol means that no one was allowed in or out of the school buildings because of a threat outside of the schools — until 2 p.m.

North Shore Academy is operated by TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804, which is a partner of District 112 and Township High School District 113. The academy, according to its webpage, is a “public therapeutic day school” that serves students (K-12) with emotional and behavioral disabilities.

TrueNorth has several area partner districts, including New Trier High School 203, Sunset Ridge 29, Winnetka 36, Glencoe 35 and Kenilworth 38.

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