Man found with gun on campus in Cross County freed on bond
A Cross County man facing charges of threatening to commit an act of mass violence on school property has been released from custody.
Charles Brooks, 50, no address available, was arrested on Wednesday last week after allegedly making threats against school officials on the Cross County School District campus at Cherry Valley.
According to a report on file at the Cross County Sheriff’s Department, Brooks was arrested about 1:15 p.m., when he arrived on campus after allegedly sending threatening text messages regarding staff to his wife, who was in a meeting with a counselor on the elementary campus.
The counselor reportedly saw four text messages from Brooks talking about being mad and armed and notified authorities.
When Brooks arrived at the campus, he was met by the district’s school resource officer and ordered to exit his vehicle. While searching Brooks, the officer reportedly found a magazine in the right rear pocket of his pants, and when asked about the gun for the magazine, told the officer it was under the driver’s seat. Brooks reportedly told the officer the “gun was loaded with one in the barrel.”
The gun and the second magazine were turned over to a sheriff’s deputy who took Brooks into custody.
He is also facing a charge of handguns possession by minor or possession on school property.
Brooks was released from the Cross County Jail about 10:30 p.m., Monday, on a $50,000 bond.
Cross County District Court officials this morning said they did not have a court date scheduled for Brooks.