An 18-year-old on pretrial release for an alleged attack at a suburban Walmart was arrested after police said he sent Snapchat videos of himself holding a rifle and threatened to kill a man and the man’s infant. The teen, identified in court records as Keon Harris of Woodstock, faces misdemeanor counts of phone harassment and disorderly conduct stemming from messages sent Jan. 22, authorities said.
The case centers on threats prosecutors say were made while Harris awaited trial in a separate felony battery case tied to a Jan. 27, 2025 assault at a Walmart in Algonquin. According to a criminal complaint, the new allegations surfaced after a father reported receiving violent messages from a Snapchat account with Harris’ name and image. Police said those messages included short videos and photos showing what appeared to be an AR-15-style rifle and statements about killing the recipient and his baby. Harris was taken into custody Jan. 24 and later released because the new counts are not detainable under Illinois’ pretrial release law, officials said.
Woodstock police wrote that the Snapchat exchange began about 5:35 p.m. on Jan. 22. In one clip, a person believed to be Harris asks, “Have you ever seen a baby die,” and then tells the father to “imagine your son leaking from his forehead,” the complaint states. Investigators said additional images in the thread depict the sender holding a rifle while repeating threats. Detectives retrieved the messages and the recipient’s statements for the case file and notified prosecutors of the suspect’s status in the older Walmart case. Officers arrested Harris two days later and referred the matter to the McHenry County State’s Attorney for review.
Court records list the new charges as phone harassment and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. The complaint also notes Harris was already under conditions from the Algonquin case, which include no contact with the prior victim or the store and a prohibition on possessing firearms. Authorities did not indicate whether the rifle seen in the videos was recovered. Police also did not detail a motive for the threats or any prior connection between Harris and the father who received the messages. No injuries were reported in the Snapchat incident. The infant mentioned in the messages was not physically harmed, according to the filings.
The earlier case that put Harris on pretrial release dates to an evening confrontation inside the vestibule of the Algonquin Walmart. Police there alleged Harris and another teen repeatedly punched a 15-year-old boy, causing bruising and bleeding before the victim was treated at a hospital in Huntley. Harris was charged with aggravated battery in a public place, a Class 3 felony, and mob action, a Class 4 felony. A judge released him under Illinois’ new pretrial rules, which eliminate cash bail and require courts to consider detainability based on charge categories and risk factors. The order barred contact with the prior victim and the Walmart location and included standard admonitions on law violations while on release.
Following last week’s arrest, Harris appeared in McHenry County Circuit Court, where a judge set dates in both matters. Records show a status hearing in the Walmart case for Jan. 30 and a plea hearing in the newer misdemeanor case for Feb. 2. The prosecutor’s office could amend or consolidate counts as more evidence is reviewed, but officials did not announce any upgraded charges as of Saturday. Defense counsel was not listed in the new docket entry. If convicted of the misdemeanors, Harris could face up to months in jail and probationary terms; the separate Walmart case carries potential felony penalties if a jury later finds him guilty.
The allegations prompted comments locally because they involve a weapon pictured on social media and explicit threats against a baby. Police and prosecutors said they would rely on digital forensics and sworn statements to authenticate the Snapchat materials, including time stamps and account metadata. Investigators also said they are checking whether any firearms were recently purchased or borrowed within the teen’s circle and whether those weapons were secured. The complaint does not state that a round was fired or that a gun was brandished in public during the messaging period. Officials underscored that the assertions remain allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent.
In the broader region, police agencies say they are seeing more cases built around direct-message threats combined with images of firearms. Detectives typically seek preservation orders from platforms and then compare recovered files with a suspect’s devices, if warrants are granted. Charging decisions depend on the content of the messages, the perceived immediacy of the threat and any evidence of planning. In McHenry County, misdemeanor harassment and disorderly conduct counts are sometimes filed first when threats are specific but no physical attack occurs. Prosecutors can later consider additional counts if a weapon is recovered unlawfully or if witness intimidation is alleged.
As of Saturday, the infant’s family had not issued a public statement beyond the father’s account in the complaint. Police did not release the recipient’s name to protect the family’s privacy. Authorities said they would provide further updates through court filings rather than news conferences. The Walmart battery case continues on a separate track with co-defendant proceedings for another Woodstock teen. No trial date has been set in that matter.
Harris remains free under prior pretrial conditions while the misdemeanor case moves forward. The next scheduled milestone is the Feb. 2 plea hearing on the Snapchat allegations, followed by additional settings in the Algonquin case. Officials said any violation of conditions could be addressed by the court at upcoming appearances.
Author note: Last updated January 31, 2026.