Parents in Calumet City are shocked to hear that their kids, who attend Woodrow Wilson Elementary, will have to walk past a new neighbor—a convicted mass murderer.
Back in April, parents in La Grange were just as surprised when the recently released murderer first moved in right across the street from their suburban elementary school Seventh Avenue.
“Just shocked that a mass murderer is even out on the streets right about now, but let alone within walking distance of a school,” said a mother.
Carl Reimann, 77, got out of prison last month after serving 45 years for killing five people, including a 16-year-old at the time, in a Yorkville restaurant in 1972.
Since the state of Illinois only prevents sex offenders from living within 500 feet of a school, there’s not much police can do to stop him.
“I’m kind of worried,” expressed a father. “I know he’s probably paid his debt to society but at the same time he couldn’t find another area secluded from the children?”
According to state records, Carl Reimann lives about a block from the school in a Sober Living Facility.
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The person who answered the door at the facility however, told NBC 5 that Reimann hadn’t moved in yet.
“I didn’t receive an alert and I definitely think the school should(’ve) notified all the parents when this happened,” said the father.
Last month, when Reimann first moved in to a home across from an elementary school in La Grange, school officials there sent out an alert to parents.
“They should change the law about mass murderers being able to walk the street let alone moving in down the street from innocent children,” the father continued.
The state’s Violent Offender Against Youth Registry requires Reimann to tell them where he’s living and prevents him from going onto school property.
“If he murderer somebody what triggered him to do that?” inquired the mother. “What makes us think that something else won’t trigger it where he’ll murder children?”
Other parents disagree.
“I’m not all for pushing him out or anything like that,” said another parent. “Like I said, as long as he’s trying to get on with his life and not bothering anyone… I’m all about a second chance.”
After NBC 5 called—the Calumet City District said a note would be sent to parents addressing the fact that they plan increase patrols around the school.
The following statement was sent out on Monday evening:
“The Board of Education has been made aware that a convicted murderer has been paroled from prison and has listed his residence at an address in close proximity to Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. The Calumet City Police Department is aware of this fact and is working closely with the schools to increase presence during school arrival and dismissal times. We have contacted the Illinois Department of Corrections, Chief of Paroles, to express our concerns about his residence being in such close proximity to our school. We will continue to update you on this situation as more information becomes available.”
