Senior Sam Breitberg, 18, was arrested Thursday, Feb. 21 for allegedly making bomb threats on Niles West High School, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Two copies of a note threatening a bomb were found in different locations in the school on Nov. 20, the second day of parent-teacher conferences for the 2012-2013 school year. A phone call was made as well, and it was traced back to Breitberg, according to the d219 official statement.
“The safety and security of our students is our top priority. We take any threat to our schools very seriously. Thanks to our partnership with the Skokie Police Department, we were able to find the source of this threat, and there will be serious consequences. This is an important reminder that making any kind of threat against our schools is no light matter — in fact, making a bomb threat is classified as a felony,” superintendent Nanciann Gatta said in a statement.
Because of law and policy regarding the school’s disclosure of confidential student info, principal Kaine Osburn declined to comment, he said in an email.
Niles West students said they were surprised to hear of the arrest of Breitberg, who was known as a class clown.
“He says dumb stuff, but I’d never thought he’d get in this much trouble for it,” senior Gino Castineiras said. “It’s crazy to me– he’s not a bad kid.”
“It made me sad seeing his picture everywhere. I did the [“Grease” play] with him [at Lincoln Hall.] I’m pretty sad,” senior Ivana Ivezic said.
Breitberg was unable to be reached for comments.
Molly • Jun 28, 2020 at 8:58 AM
2020 THANK GOD THIS WAS POSTED.
Sam Breitberg continues to be violent where he lives in Maine. He chased me down the other night and into my work garage. Luckily it was caught on camera and news articles like this exist. With his past and current actions he is extremely dangerous and I hope he gets justice under the law.
Fellow classmate • Feb 27, 2013 at 5:56 PM
THIS IS WRONG. I WAS APPAULED TO SEE THIS ON THE NWN!! I always thought of the NWN to be exciting, happy news….I understand that this would make the Niles west web page, but NOT on the NWN.
Mara Shapiro • Feb 27, 2013 at 7:18 PM
Just because this piece of news isn’t “happy” doesn’t make it wrong for the NWN to publish it. If the news pertains to our school, and in this case the safety of our school, it falls under its domain.
Fatima Farha • Feb 27, 2013 at 7:33 PM
If you’ve ever read any sort of a newspaper, whether it be online or print, school or city, local or national, whatever, you should know that news publications have many different kinds of stories and they are never all happy news. The NWN is where the news of the school is, and where the news of that which affects the students is. This affected the students.
Buzzy • Feb 27, 2013 at 9:02 PM
“Happy” news geez. Can you guys get real right now seriously! NWN is student-ran newspaper. NEWSpaper, last time I check not every news is a “happy” news. NWN published a news that relates to Niles West, it is not like they published an article that is outside the school or district.
Krista • Feb 27, 2013 at 4:45 PM
I think it is perfectly acceptable to post this article. This directly relates to school and safety, and we have the right to be informed. Also, it’s better to have the facts from a reliable source rather than rumors that can be warped into horrible lies when retold to a fellow classmate.
Oscar • Feb 26, 2013 at 11:07 AM
The Niles West News has absolutely no respect for an Americans privacy. (I shouldn’t be supervised, they endorsed an unconstitutional tyrant who passed the NDAA and supports the Patriot act).
Fatima Farha • Feb 26, 2013 at 6:01 PM
The Niles West News is stating the facts. What do you mean by privacy? Type his name into Google and you’ll find other sites stating the facts just like this article does, the Chicago Tribune, for example. The NWN is stating facts that every one in this school has a right to know, especially about such a matter. No, this isn’t the happiest or most positive article, but it is not full of negative opinions either. This is breaking news about a serious incident that occured at Niles West, thus the NWN has every right to publish it. This article only mentions information about what has occured and the NWN is certain about.
Buzzy • Feb 26, 2013 at 6:21 PM
Excuse me? What privacy law are you talking about that pertains to this issue? Please elaborate!
Oscar • Feb 26, 2013 at 7:41 PM
Under the American Constitution you guys have every right to publish what ever you’d like, but out of respect for your fellow classmate and my fellow American you shouldn’t infringe on his privacy. Unlike the Chicago tribune the majority of the readers are Niles West students.
Mara Shapiro • Feb 26, 2013 at 8:10 PM
It’s pretty much a given that you will lose your privacy if you openly threaten our school(joke or no joke) and are a legal adult. I don’t think it’s very American to threaten a school.
Fatima Farha • Feb 26, 2013 at 9:27 PM
Yes, you’re right. The majority of the readers are Niles West students. And this is an issue that pertain to Niles West and all of the people who come here everyday. Can you imagine what we felt when we heard about these bomb threats? It’s so scary. And when the person to have apparently made these bomb threats is arrested, then all of the people the threats could have affected has the right to know. Besides, if HE had the respect of his fellow classmates, he shouldn’t have made any bomb threats (like Mara said, joke or no joke, bomb threats are serious).
Buzzy • Feb 26, 2013 at 10:09 PM
okay…where do I start? First off all, Felony disorderly conduct is a criminal charge which means Cook County has filed a charged against this fellow. When the government sues you, all of that information becomes public information – transparency. Second of all under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, criminal records are public information thus making it accessible to the public.
Of course you can have this expunge to remove any charges from your record.
Maridsa • Feb 27, 2013 at 6:38 AM
What do you mean no respect for American privacy?? This is public information. If you google Sam Breitberg, a story on his arrest would definitely pop up. You’re bringing up a much bigger/broader topic that has nothing to do with this. All we did was state the facts. Bomb threats are not a joking matter whether he meant it or not. So as a newspaper, we have a right to inform students on what is going on.
John • Feb 25, 2013 at 2:35 PM
Both sides need to clam down a little. Let’s wait it out and see what happens.
Sam’s a nice kid and while what he did was definitely wrong, I don’t think he meant any harm by it – I think he was trying to play a prank or be funny and chose a very insensitive topic to do so. It’s disappointing to me that such a relatively nice kid would do something like this and threaten students and teachers at his school, intentionally or for humorous purposes.
I’m not trying to defend him, or ask people to feel sorry for him, but it seems out-of-character for Sam to be intentionally malicious and I’m trying to examine the situation neutrally.
What? • Feb 25, 2013 at 1:17 PM
Are all of the people commenting on this serious? This is a NEWSPAPER. Sure, it’s a student-run school-affiliated paper, but honestly? It’s their job to write article about what happens here. They never claimed that Sam was guilty or not, and they didn’t provide any new information. All Ivana wrote about were facts that had already been published in The Trib. To not report on this would have been a major oversight in the publication.
pointless article • Feb 25, 2013 at 8:45 PM
So leave this story to The Tribune. This article is pointless and just reiterating what other newspapers wrote, except it’s written by Sam’s fellow classmates.
Beyza • Feb 25, 2013 at 9:07 AM
It’s Sam’s own fault if the charges are actually true. The NWN is simply stating the same facts that were reported by reputable news agencies such as the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. If his friends want to defend him that’s fine, but don’t take out his mistake on the Niles West News.
KS • Feb 24, 2013 at 11:31 PM
My heart goes out to Sam’s family. This is actually a tradegy for all of them. They all need the communities support right now…..
Buzzy • Feb 25, 2013 at 9:41 AM
I’m sorry but it is kinda hard to feel sorry for the guy for allegedly threatening the school in which i have family members that attend the school. I feel sorry though for his family. I sure that they raised him right. Its a bad decision for this dude to do this if he really did it.
Maridsa • Feb 24, 2013 at 7:32 PM
I don’t think that this is a “private” matter as someone stated. Whatever threat he made affects the whole school. Ivana was just doing her job in reporting the news. She didn’t say anything that would affect Sam’s reputation or insult him, she’s just stating the facts. And these stories are shared on Facebook, not for promotion but to get the news to others. So accept this article because it was Sam’s doing.
Dan Poskus • Feb 24, 2013 at 6:54 PM
The guy made bomb threats. I find it sad people are defending him. This isn’t lies or slander. NWN isn’t speaking poorly of him. They used quotes. If he didn’t want this, then he shouldn’t have made bomb threats, enough said.
em • Feb 24, 2013 at 11:34 PM
This isn’t about what Sam did. Sam is facing consequences, that’s irrelevant. It is that the NWN is allowing students to write negative articles about other students. Write about kids who play the flute, publish poorly-written political columns, but don’t write negative stories about kids at this school. It’s just not right.
Morgan • Feb 25, 2013 at 9:24 AM
How is this article negative?
Yes, it does deal with a negative situation. But no, there is honest and objective reporting done in this story. This basically states the same information as an article by the Tribune, which obviously has merit.
Sam is still innocent until proven guilty and the NWN has written nothing to assume otherwise.
Newspaper Adviser in Michigan • Mar 16, 2017 at 8:12 PM
Unfortunately the misconception about student publications is that they are PR tools for school districts. That is NOT the responsibility of a student newspaper; their responsibilities are the same as other publications. Provide information transparently on topics that impact their readers and do so objectively. This article is 100% okay to print. For those people with no background in journalism, I beg you to think about what you are really upset about…that this was printed or that the kid who allegedly made the threats may have his feelings hurt or that his peers may have lost some respect for him because of his actions, which actually has nothing to do with this information being printed. The reporter is not working with malice, this article will not harm this student’s reputation more than his own alleged actions. Let these reporters do their job and grow from this experience of covering controversial/sensitive topics responsibly. And those of you who are so bent out of shape about this article being an attack of this student are actually attaching another student with your derogatory comments so maybe try to avoid being hypocrites when trying to make your point. And learn something about journalism before pretending to be an expert about what journalists should and shouldn’t do.
Buzzy • Feb 25, 2013 at 9:29 AM
What’s irrelevant? That he threatened the school? Wow! Negative or not, this article is about informing the school and the student body that their safety is in jeopardy. What the NWN should have done is not published his name in account of “decency” but he is technically an adult-17 years and old are considered an adult in the state of Illinois- in which case all information are considered public including the publishing of his name.
Ivana Kosir • Feb 24, 2013 at 4:04 PM
Thank you for your comments. The Niles West News chose to publish this story, on the site and on Facebook, because it is a matter of school safety. The NWN has a history of covering all things Niles West related, for good publicity or bad publicity. This was not written to hurt Sam or taint his name– it is simply an unbiased news article stating the facts.
bad judgement • Feb 24, 2013 at 11:29 PM
This topic is Niles West related, but for the sake of decency, the NWN should not post this article about Sam. There shouldnt be a magnified “mug shot” picture of him on the front page of this mediocre site.
Buzzy • Feb 25, 2013 at 9:36 AM
That picture is not even a mug shot lol. It looks like a mug shots but that clearly taken in the hallways.
Jason • Feb 25, 2013 at 8:49 PM
NWN posted a somewhat menacing picture of him for the cover story, when that picture was submitted by him when he ran for homecoming king and he meant it as a joke.
The NW website chose to leave out his name, the NWN should have had the decency to do the same.
Jo • Feb 24, 2013 at 1:46 AM
Why is this article posted on Facebook and twitter? Lol if the person actually cared about Sam they wouldn’t publicize this bad article more…
Student • Feb 23, 2013 at 10:49 PM
I agree. This article should have not been posted. It’s disrespectful to him and his family. This website is suppose to be about things going on at West such as sports and activities, not private situations outside of school.
Why • Feb 23, 2013 at 8:47 PM
This is wrong. Sam has enough to worry about as it is. No need for his school newspaper to write this. This can cause only negative effects.
Buzzy • Feb 23, 2013 at 8:13 PM
This is article is nonetheless very controversial. Publishing this article could have some unintended consequences and could alienate the student body as a whole.
However, journalism is about reporting “juicy” stories that can rack up some views. This is nothing new. NWN is no different. I guess they are just doing their jobs.
The person involved is charged with a felony disorderly conduct as reported publicly by the Skokie Police Department. This, however, does not mean he is guilty nor have the intention of doing whatever he is allegedly charged with. Remember, you are not guilty until proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
sd • Feb 24, 2013 at 2:40 PM
The NWN should stick to stories about lunch complaints and boys who get a lot of facebook likes.
Buzzy • Feb 24, 2013 at 6:07 PM
how so? This article is related to Niles West and its well-being. This is a news-worthy story that is worth publishing because, as the writer stated, it is related the safety of Niles West, its staff and students.
NW student • Feb 23, 2013 at 6:28 PM
I understand that the nwn tries to write controversial, inflammatory articles but this is inappropriate. It is not the purpose of a student run news site to post bad publicity about the students at niles west. The editor and sponsor of nwn should seriously consider removing this article.
Classmate • Feb 23, 2013 at 5:54 PM
Why is the Niles West News, a school-sponsored activity, sparking negative publicity for a student of Niles West, let alone any person at all?
This is wrong, and the promotion of the article of Facebook tells me that the goal here is to increase “views.”
Classmate • Feb 23, 2013 at 5:57 PM
On Facebook*
wtf • Feb 23, 2013 at 5:33 PM
this article didnt need to be made. he has enough emarassment as it is
Former Student • Apr 5, 2013 at 2:48 AM
You guys do realize that this kid sent a bomb threat to the school right? Let’s say it wasn’t a joke, how much care do you think he has for your well-being? Might need to step back and see the world what it really is, it gets a lot more real when you leave Niles West, might want to get used to it. And if he didn’t want negative attention, try not sending a bomb threat to a school…..it’s common sense.
John • Apr 8, 2013 at 1:22 PM
This article is two months old.