Police seize loaded weapon at Belleville East, arrest student

Two weeks after police seized a loaded firearm at Belleville West High School, authorities recovered another Tuesday morning at Belleville East High School.

According to a news release from the Belleville Police Department, a school resource officer at Belleville East quickly isolated the suspected student and recovered the weapon. The student was taken into custody, police said.

The department said another student notified the school resource officer and staff that they suspected a peer had a firearm at about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.

“The Belleville Police Department would like to thank the student who reported this situation and highlight the importance of the working relationship between Belleville Police Department school resource officers and District 201 staff,” the release stated.

It also was a student who alerted authorities that they suspected a classmate of bringing a gun to Belleville West on Sept. 16.

Belleville Township High School District 201 Superintendent Marshaun Warren said parents were notified of the incident by automated phone calls.

“At the conclusion of the investigation, appropriate discipline will be determined in accordance with board policy and the Illinois School code,” she said in an email.

Following the earlier incident at Belleville West, a petition to add metal detectors at both high schools has circulated on social media. Warren previously told the Belleville News-Democrat that she is aware of the petition and that any changes to school safety measures and their related costs would require school board approval.

“Discussions regarding safety have taken place and are ongoing,” Warren said.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 20, at the Belleville Township High School District office, 920 North Illinois St.

Because the students are minors, their identities are not being released, according to police.

This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 12:38 PM with the headline "Police seize loaded weapon at Belleville East, arrest student."