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Man Brought Dad's Gun To School, Stuffed Bullets In His Sock: Charges

By  Erica Demarest Kelly Bauer and Alex Nitkin | October 7, 2016 8:32am | Updated on October 7, 2016 8:05pm

 A man has been charged with bringing a gun to school in an incident that sparked an hours-long lockdown.
A man has been charged with bringing a gun to school in an incident that sparked an hours-long lockdown.
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DNAinfo; Chicago Police Department

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A 20-year-old man has been charged with bringing his dad's gun to a high school — and stuffing bullets in his sock — in a West Side incident that sparked an hours-long lockdown Thursday.

A group of students Thursday told teachers that five students had brought guns to school at West Town Academy, an alternative high school at 534 N. Sacramento Blvd., said Tommy Coyle, a security staff member. The school serves people aged 17 to 21.

School staff members searched the students' lockers and the "whole situation was resolved" before police got to the school, Coyle said. Despite that, the school went into lockdown and every classroom had its lights turned off and doors locked until police gave the all-clear about two hours later.

According to prosecutors, Julius Burke, 20, confessed to bringing his father's .38 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun into the building. Police found the gun in Burke's locker, as well as five bullets stuffed in Burke's left sock.

It's not clear why Burke brought the gun to school.

Burke told police he stole the gun from his father's drawer, and that his father has a valid FOID card and concealed-carry license, Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said during a bond hearing Friday.

Burke, of the 3400 block of West Adams Street, now faces charges of possessing a gun on school grounds. As a juvenile, he was previously charged with criminal damage to property. Burke has no adult criminal record.

Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan on Friday set bail at $50,000.

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