Gun found during entry screening at Whitney Young on first day of school

CHICAGO (WGN) — A gun was found during the entry process on the first day of the 2025-26 school year at Whitney Young High School, school officials say.

The school’s principal, Rickey Harris, sent a letter to parents and guardians on Monday notifying them that a firearm was found during the school’s standard entry screening.

“The gun was immediately secured and did not proceed further into the building,” Harris said in the letter. “Just to be clear, there appears to be no indicated threat towards anyone in our school community.”

Officials say there were no threats made to any students or staff members. No injuries were reported.

The full letter reads:

“Safety is always my top priority, which is why I am writing to notify you of a situation that occurred earlier today. This morning, a gun was identified during our standard entry screening. The gun was immediately secured and did not proceed further into the building. We also notified the CPS Office of Safety and Security and the Chicago Police Department (CPD) for support.. No threats were made and no students or staff members were physically injured as a result of this situation. Just to be clear, there appears to be no indicated threat towards anyone in our school community. While I cannot provide further details for privacy reasons, I can share that we are handling this matter in accordance with CPS policies, and CPD will provide our school with additional safety support at today’s dismissal at 3:15pm.

Please know that we take situations like this seriously to ensure the safety of our school community. If your child voices any fears or concerns about this, please let us know so we can ensure their social-emotional needs are met. I especially want to commend our Whitney Young Security Team for their quick action during this incident. Thank you for your partnership in helping us provide all students with a safe and welcoming school environment.“