After another found bullet — this time a non-active round — Wilmette school announces safety presentations

While a firearm round was discovered at a Wilmette school for the second time in a month, school and police officials say the rounds and the incidents are unrelated.

A student reportedly found a powerless, non-fireable bullet inside Highcrest Middle School on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 6. A district email sent Tuesday to district families, and shared with The Record, says Wilmette police were “immediately contacted” and, following a search and preliminary investigation, determined there was no threat to the school.

Wilmette Police Cmdr. Alex Mercado told The Record that the item found on Tuesday is similar to a mold of a bullet and contains no functional components — meaning it was never an active round. He said the items are often called “dummy rounds” and can be used to practice loading and discharging a firearm without an actual projectile.

In a followup email on Wednesday, school officials told district families that officials identified the origin of the item “with certainty” and it was in the school as a “result of a regrettable personal choice and not nefarious and ill-intended.”

Police reportedly further determined that the individual responsible was not a threat and “there are no firearms in the family home.”

The individual will face unspecified disciplinary action from the school district, according to Wednesday’s email.

The discovery comes three weeks after Highcrest students found a live 9-millimeter firearm round outside, near the school’s playground equipment.

Mercado said the police investigation showed that the two incidents are unrelated.

In the wake of the most recent discovery, the district said it received feedback from many concerned members of its community.

The district’s followup email on Wednesday addressed several topics related to Tuesday’s finding and included a review of the district’s and the police’s response, the latter of which reportedly featured a “thorough search of targeted areas,” such as hallways, classrooms and some lockers, near where the non-active round was found.

“All students and staff were safe during this (search), with teaching and learning continuing in the classrooms,” the district wrote.

The district also summarized next steps, announcing two upcoming events — one for students and staff and one for district families — that will highlight safety information from both school officials and local law enforcement.

“(The event for district families) will mirror the format of our annual school safety presentations, including a review of school safety protocol and procedures, security measures, community partnership and critical incident responses from WPD, as well as information regarding firearm safety and storage,” the district’s email reads. “We will communicate more details regarding this event as they are finalized.

To conclude its Wednesday email, the district shared safety resources, including links to its school safety and security webpage, webinars for parents on school safety, and Wilmette police firearm safety practices and programs.

“Maintaining a safe learning environment is a collective responsibility which we all take seriously in District 39,” the email concludes. “The safety, well-being, and security of our students and staff is always our top priority. We thank you for your support and partnership.”

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