Kenosha Judge Seems Hesitant To Try 16-Year-Old Who Brought A Gun To School, Made Threats, As An Adult

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Jaheem Wright, 16, of Kenosha

A 16-year-old Kenosha high-schooler might avoid the adult criminal justice system. Jaheem Wright, 16, of Kenosha, was charged with Felony Terroristic Threats, Felony Possession of a Firearm On School Grounds, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, and Minor Possession of a Dangerous Weapon.

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Snapchat Post Allegedly Made By Wright

The Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office asked Judge Chad Kerkman to send the case to adult court, where Wright would face a lengthy prison sentence. Instead, Kerkman ordered a competency evaluation and postponed the case until next month. The case remains in a secret, juvenile court.

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Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Chad Kerkman (D)
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)

If the case stays in juvenile court, Wright would face little to no punishment. Allegedly, Wright made a social media post in which he “snapped” and said something to the effect of “I’m going to take care of business.” He posted a photo of a firearm on social media.

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Firearm Allegedly Found On Wright

At least two Kenosha Police officers missed the gun that Wright was carrying inside Indian Trail and Academy. The gun was later found near his crotch.

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Kenosha Police said the following of Wright:

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“On Monday, 12/02/24, around 10:30 AM the school resource officer at Indian Trail High School and Academy in Kenosha received information that a SnapChat photograph was circulating which showed a 16-year-old ITA student (10TH Grade) possessing a firearm. An investigation immediately began with the SRO and school officials. The student was quickly located and escorted to an office to be searched. The student was arrested at the school and transported to the police department. He was charged with one count of each of the following: Terrorist Threats-Public Panic or Fear; Possession of a firearm on grounds of a school; carrying a concealed weapon; and possession of dangerous weapon by minor. The student is currently detained in a juvenile detention facility awaiting the next court hearing.

The investigation later revealed that the student did in fact have a firearm concealed in a sensitive area. The manner in which the firearm was concealed made it very difficult for the initial officers to locate. The Kenosha Police Department is conducting an internal review of the incident to determine if any policy violations and/or training issues exist.”

KCE decided to name Wright in case Kerkman keeps the proceedings secret.

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73 Responses

  1. I see him following the rules, which limits the appeal options. We might criticize judges because we disagree with the sentence. A good measure of our judges is how many of their cases are overturned. Kenosha cases aren’t regularly overturned l.

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    1. WRONG. You can be very weak on sentencing and that won’t get you overturned on appeal. That sure as fuck doesn’t mean you are a good judge.
      Nice post, Chad.

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  2. Well he’s not an adult so it would make sense he seems hesitant. That decision needs to be weighed carefully. Adults make different decisions and have different consequences. There has to be a cut off somewhere.

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    1. Yet he can become a woman because “he’s old enough to make that decision”.

      You CAN NOT have it both ways. Current law says a 17 year old can be charged as an adult. If he actually killed someone, you wouldn’t want him tried as an adult? That’s asinine.

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      1. That’s my point he’s not 17. He is 16 therefore he is a child. You can’t just randomly choose certain kids to try as an adult. He never hurt anyone, although he should be held accountable for what he did under the current law.
        And for the record, he should not be able to choose if he’s a girl or not that’s stupid

        1. A 17 year old is also a child. You’re not an adult until you are 18. So he has to hurt someone before you charge him as an adult? Way to go in hope it’s your family he hurts.

          1. He’s not 17. He’s 16. The law is already written to deal with minors who commit crimes. Why does this particular minor need to be treated as an adult? And yes, generally when victims are injured or some other aggravating factor needs to be present to move it to adult court. And I have no family except pain and misery.

    1. Why? He’s not an adult. You can’t just pick some crimes to tries an adult just because. He either is or he isn’t.

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      1. He had a gun right? You have to be an adult to own a gun. So obviously try him as an adult.

        These “kids” nowadays are more grown in mentality(sexually, dress, decisions, taking care of themselves because of trash parents, etc).

        This is a no brainer and the judge shouldn’t let the political eye change his decision.

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        1. Kids aren’t more grown, they’re just doing a lot more things that only should be done by those that are grown. That said, I have no problems with society retaliating by doing sentencing things that match those for ones who have grown up. Do the crime do the time, this guy thinks he’s a badass thug who can take care of things with his gun. Lock him up for a while, before he takes care of something with a gun.

      1. Either as a society we take loaded guns in school Seriously, or we don’t. Not sure if you’re aware, we just had a scholl shooting in WI last month where students were killed. This person was threatening other kids VIA social media at school, with a loaded gun Gary…..

      2. No. Got any more stupid questions? Nobody is saying that every single case blah blah blah blah blah
        THIS CASE however, makes him the poster child for being tried as an adult. Attitude, premeditation deadly weapon. Into the corn!

  3. More importantly, where are the parents? Where gun come from? Parents should hold some responsibility in this and this will keep awareness of what your child is doing on a day to day basis. We gotta do better…. Schools use to be a safe haven now it’s running the streets!!!!

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  4. Chad should worry about this kid in school with his iwn kids. Yeah they are older now but really, why would Chad forget that schools are gun free zones yet this kid knew how to hide a gun that police missed. Too familiar with guns. This kid needs to be in adult court. So sad on how uyou gave turn out chad

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  5. How much did the metal detectors cost that were just installed inside the public safety building ?They were bought because the records workers were upset/scared about being in the room with this armed suspect that the gun wasn’t found.
    I’d love to see to redacted report and bodycam of the searches.

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    1. As an employee in the PSB, there are not metal detectors. When the building was under attack from rioters, Records staff took shelter on an upper floor.
      With regards to the topic of rhe Juvenile, he needs to be held accountable for his actions. There also needs to be accountability to whomever provided him with access to a gun.

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      1. And lets not forget, intake court is open to the public and within a matter of seconds there could be a serious situation in there if someone’s loved one doesn’t get a good bond.. There is no metal detectors preventing people from bringing anything in.. you can post signs all you want about it being gun free zone. People don’t care!

        the child needs to be held accountable and raising competency is the cop out.. he was competent enough to hide a gun… in a school… come on

      2. The metal detectors look very similar to the robot machines that have the bright light going through the aisles at woodmans disinfecting items.

        They’re 6 feet tall, silver, with a green light on top.

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        1. You may be right about the metal detector, but the robot thing at Woodman’s does inventory. (some employees do, too, but the robot helps significantly.)

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  6. Try his ass an adult and permanently expel him from all KUSD schools. You commit big boy crimes you pay big boy consequences.

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  7. Charge him as a juvenile, we never find out where he got the gun from, the leverage is charge as an adult to find out where this gun came from let’s start there. JMO

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  8. Was there a punishment for officers or write up for missing the gun? My neighbor’s kid was in the ISS room with this kid after he was searched and still had the gun. This room is supervised by a hall monitor basically, and has 2 doors that you can leave right into the hallway I am told.

    So the kid was searched by the one officer there, then put into a room with several students. Then the student with the gun went unsupervised by the one cop in the building for how long? This was a huge, dangerous mistake. Where is the accountability???????? Guy with gun making threats to students who posted picture on social media of his gun at school was searched, then placed into an unsecured room with other kids that had 2 doors to leave from. WOW.

    We all got to see the Applebees body camera footage, we all deserve to see this body camera footage too. Blur the face of the suspect, show the officers and their hands and searches.
    KUSD- be transparent, stop hiding behind FERPA. You can release a play by play of what happened and when, just omit any names of students. You guys are asking us for another $100,000,000 soon. Show us that you actually serve our children and communities.

  9. I wonder what charge Kerkman would approve if someone snuck a loaded gun into the courthouse and was posting threats to people inside the courthouse online that same day??

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  10. Why not withold judgment until the decision is made?
    A careful judicial review and mental examination will protect the adult charges if they are appealed.

    1. Ya. Real mental when he posted about doing it. That’s called pre meditation. Quit thinking every time a kid does something it’s mental! It’s parenting and lack of the respect for laws!

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  11. They sure were pretty fast to charge Martel Lee as an adult based on no eveidence, only words from someone that changed his story, and was totally unreliable as a witness.

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  12. How can someone (or two people) miss a gun that big when they know it’s there???? Maybe they train differently in the academy now since I’ve retired.

    1. Probably because he hid it along with the package and wears big, baggy, low jeans? The article said it was in a sensitive spot.

      1. If you’re searching for a gun, you manipulate the clothing so you are able to tell if there’s a weapon anywhere on the outside of the body. Between the cheeks for sure, but u on lift and separate the scrotum because a weapon wouldn’t fit behind the scrotum(of a normal male).

  13. I think Kerkman made the right decision. The minor is “being evaluated” before the decision is made. People that age usually do not have a fully developed cererbral cortex, the part of the brain that enables an individual to make reasoned decisions; that’s a major part of being “mature” and a reason for being a legal minor until age 18.

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    1. He knew he had to “hide” the gun that he k we was illegal to have though. That’s a willful conscious decision, and it shows he was intentionally avoiding being caught with it.

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      1. Of course he knows he shouldn’t have it, so he hid it. Yet he posted it on instagram. It’s a great example of what I was talking about. You people should look up “cerebral cortex” and brain development in adolescents before you speak out of ignorance. I’ll guarantee you that “Gary” knows exactly what I’m talking about, and it’s why Judge Kerkman has referred him for evaluation. I stand by what I said.

    2. Lol @ trying to make the case that a 16 yr old doesn’t know what a gun will do because their cerebral cortex. Clown

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