Suspect arrested and charged in social media school threats

Village of Lyons Police along with School and Village officials were notified on Friday morning of threats of violence that were posted on social media by the father of a student at a District 103 school.

When Lyons School District 103 and police were made aware of threats they responded immediately first to ensure that students were safe and also to identify the suspect and the suspect’s whereabouts.

The suspect, identified as Paul Chapman, 43, of the 7800 block of 43rd Street in Lyons, became angry regarding an incident involving alleged bullying. The father then posted his comments on social media threatening violence.

Lyons Township High school — School building

Chapman was arrested Friday afternoon. He is charged with Felony Disorderly Conduct for transmitting threats via social media towards faculty and students at Robinson School in Lyons.

At no time, officials said, were any of the students in any actual physical danger. Robinson Elementary and five other elementary schools in the district were placed on a “soft lockdown.”

Although the threats were made on social media, Village officials said that the school, the village and the police took immediate action, considering any public anger involving a school to be a serious offense.

Mr. Chapman is scheduled to appear in Bond Court at 26th and California Saturday morning around 9 am.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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